Method and apparatus for deposited hermetic cover for digital X-ray panel

• US 20040155320A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wei, Ching-Yeu, DeJule, Michael Clement, Fobare, David Francis
• Granted Patent: US 7,473,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/659
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20189 Damping or insulation against damage, e.g. caused by heat or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14658 X-ray, gamma-ray or corpuscular radiation imagers measuring X-, gamma- or corpuscular radiation G01T1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0216 Coatings H01L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/115 Devices sensitive to very short wavelength, e.g. X-rays, gamma-rays or corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/18 Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof

Abstract

A digital X-ray panel and method of fabricating an X-ray detector panel assembly is provided. The method includes forming a detector matrix on the detector substrate, forming a dam on the detector substrate circumscribing the detector matrix, forming a scintillator material on the detector matrix, and forming a hermetic covering on the scintillator material that at least one of extends to a surface of the dam and extends past the dam. The digital X-ray panel assembly includes a detector substrate, a detector matrix formed on said detector substrate, a dam formed on said detector substrate circumscribing the detector matrix, a scintillator material formed on the detector matrix, and a hermetic covering formed on the scintillator material that at least one of extends past the detector matrix and the dam, and extends past the detector matrix onto a surface of the dam.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an X-ray detector panel assembly including a detector substrate including a detector base surface and a plurality of sidewalls extending perpendicularly away from the detector base surface, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a detector matrix on the detector substrate;

forming a dam on the detector substrate circumscribing the detector matrix;

forming a scintillator material on the detector matrix; and

forming a hermetic covering on the scintillator material wherein the hermetic cover at least one of extends to a surface of the dam, and extends past the dam.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein forming the scintillator material further comprises forming a layer of cesium iodide crystals configured as standing needlelike structures extending from the detector matrix.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein forming the hermetic covering further comprises:

forming an encapsulating coating on the scintillator material extending past the dam;

forming a reflective layer on the encapsulating coating extending past the dam; and

forming a thin film mask on the reflective layer extending past the dam.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein forming an encapsulating coating comprises forming an encapsulating coating that extends between a plurality of needlelike structures of scintillator material, coating the needlelike structure surfaces.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein forming a hermetic covering further comprises:

forming a hermetic layer on the thin film mask extending past the dam and extending past the thin film mask; and

forming a corrosion protection layer on the hermetic layer extending past the dam and extending past the hermetic layer.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the <

detector base surface includes a chest wall side, and wherein forming a hermetic covering further comprises;

forming a hermetic layer on the thin film mask extending past the dam and extending onto at least one sidewall adjacent to the chest wall side; and

forming a corrosion protection layer on the hermetic layer extending past the dam and extending onto at least one sidewall adjacent to the chest wall side.

7. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the detector base surface includes an opposing backside and a chest wall side, and wherein forming a hermetic covering further comprises:

forming a hermetic layer on the thin film mask extending past the dam;

forming a corrosion protection layer on the hermetic layer extending past the dam; and

coupling an end channel to at least one sidewall.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein coupling an end channel comprises coupling an end channel to the chest wall side.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising coupling a mechanical cover between the hermetic layer and the end channel such that there is a gap between the hermetic layer and the end channel.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising coupling a mechanical cover between the corrosion protection layer and the end channel such that there is a gap between the corrosion protection layer and the end channel.

11. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising coupling a mechanical cover to the end channel exterior covering the hermetic layer such that there is a gap between the hermetic layer and the end channel.

12. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising coupling a mechanical cover to the end channel exterior covering the corrosion protection layer such that there is a gap between the corrosion protection layer and the end channel.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein forming a hermetic covering further comprises:

forming a first encapsulating layer on the scintillator material extending to a surface of the dam;

forming a reflective layer on the first encapsulating layer extending to an area between the detector matrix and the surface of the dam; and

forming a second encapsulating layer on the reflective layer extending to an edge of the first encapsulating layer on the surface of the dam.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein forming a hermetic covering further comprises:

forming a first moisture barrier layer on the second encapsulating layer extending to an edge of the second encapsulating layer on the surface of the dam; and

determining if a second moisture barrier layer will be formed on the first moisture barrier layer, and forming a second moisture barrier layer on the first moisture barrier layer, the second moisture barrier layer extending past the first moisture barrier layer onto a surface of the dam based on the determination.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein forming a reflective layer comprises:

forming a first layer comprising at least one of silver, gold, and chrome;

forming a second layer comprising titanium dioxide; and

forming a third layer comprising aluminum.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein forming a first moisture barrier layer comprises:

forming a first layer comprising titanium dioxide; and

forming a second layer comprising aluminum.

17. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein forming a second moisture barrier layer comprises forming a first layer comprising aluminum.

18. A digital X-ray panel comprising:

a detector substrate;

a detector matrix formed on said detector substrate;

a dam formed on said detector substrate circumscribing the detector matrix;

a scintillator material formed on said detector matrix; and

a hermetic covering formed on said scintillator material wherein an edge of said hermetic covering at least one of extends past said detector matrix and said dam, and extends past said detector matrix onto a surface of said dam.

19. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 18 wherein said scintillator material comprises cesium iodide crystals in a needle-like structure configuration.

20. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 18 wherein said hermetic covering comprises:

an encapsulating layer on said scintillator material extending past said dam;

a reflective layer on said encapsulating layer extending past said dam; and

a thin film mask on said reflective layer extending past said dam.

21. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 20 wherein said encapsulating layer comprises at least one of poly-para-xylylene, ismono-chloro-poly-para-xylylene, and a combination of poly-para-xylylene and ismono-chloro-poly-para-xylylene.

22. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 18 wherein said hermetic covering further comprises:

a hermetic layer on said thin film mask that extends past said dam and that extends past said thin film mask; and

a corrosion protection layer on said hermetic layer that extends past said dam and that extends past said hermetic layer.

23. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 18 wherein the detector surface includes a chest wall side, and wherein said hermetic covering further comprises:

a hermetic layer on said thin film mask that extends past said dam and that extends onto at least one sidewall adjacent to said chest wall side; and

a corrosion protection layer on said hermetic layer that extends past said dam and that extends onto at least one sidewall adjacent to the chest wall side.

24. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 18 wherein the detector base surface includes an opposing backside and a chest wall side, and wherein said hermetic covering further comprises:

a hermetic layer on said thin film mask that extends past said dam;

a corrosion protection layer on said hermetic layer that extends past said darn; and

an end channel coupled to at least one sidewall for scaling said hermetic covering and said detector substrate.

25. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 24 wherein said end channel is coupled to said chest wall aside sidewall.

26. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 24 further comprising a mechanical cover that comprises at least one of a graphite/resin core, a plastic, and a material substantially transmissible to x-rays, said mechanical cover coupled between at least one of said hermetic layer and said corrosion protection layer, and said end channel such that there is a gap between at least one of said hermetic layer and said corrosion protection layer, and said mechanical cover.

27. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 26 further comprising a mechanical cover that is encapsulated with an aluminum foil.

28. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 24 further comprising a mechanical cover that comprises at least one of a graphite/resin core, a plastic, and a material substantially transmissible to x-rays, said mechanical cover coupled to said end channel exterior surface such that there is a gap between at least one of said hermetic layer and said corrosion protection layer, and said mechanical cover.

29. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 28 further comprising a mechanical cover that is encapsulated with an aluminum foil.

30. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 18 wherein said hermetic covering further comprises:

a first encapsulating layer on said scintillator material that extends to said surface of said dam;

a reflective layer on said first encapsulating layer that extends to an area between said detector matrix and said surface of said dam; and

a second encapsulating layer on said reflective layer that extends to an edge of said first encapsulating layer on said surface of said dam.

31. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 30 wherein said hermetic covering further comprises a first moisture barrier layer on said second encapsulating layer that extends to an edge of said second encapsulating layer on said surface of said dam.

32. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 31 wherein said first moisture barrier layer comprises:

a first layer that comprises titanium dioxide; and

a second layer that comprises aluminum.

33. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 31 wherein said hermetic covering further comprises a second moisture barrier layer that extends past said first moisture barrier layer onto said surface of said dam.

34. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 33 wherein said second moisture barrier layer comprises a first layer that comprises aluminum.

35. A digital X-ray panel in accordance with claim 30 wherein said reflective layer comprises:

a first layer that comprises at least one of silver, gold, and chrome;

a second layer that comprises titanium dioxide; and

a third layer that comprises aluminum.