PHOTODIODE AND OTHER SENSOR STRUCTURES IN FLAT-PANEL X-RAY IMAGERS AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING TOPOLOGICAL UNIFORMITY OF THE PHOTODIODE AND OTHER SENSOR STRUCTURES IN FLAT-PANEL X-RAY IMAGERS BASED ON THIN-FILM ELECTRONICS
First Claim
1. A radiation sensor comprising:
- a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation;
a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer;
said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons;
pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer;
a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry;
a surface of at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry and having a surface inflection above features of the pixel circuitry; and
said surface inflection having a radius of curvature greater than one half micron.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radiation sensor including a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation and a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer. The photosensitive layer is configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of the photons. The radiation sensor includes pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of the electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer and a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry. A surface of at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode at least partially overlaps the pixel circuitry and has a surface inflection above features of the pixel circuitry. The surface inflection has a radius of curvature greater than one half micron.
84 Citations
58 Claims
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1. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; a surface of at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry and having a surface inflection above features of the pixel circuitry; and said surface inflection having a radius of curvature greater than one half micron. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer; and a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry, wherein the planarization layer has a first surface inflection along a peripheral edge of features of the pixel circuitry elements, the first electrode has a second surface inflection above the first surface inflection and on a surface of the planarization layer opposite the base substrate, and said second surface inflection has a radius of curvature greater than one-half micron.
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34. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and said photodetector having a dark current, normalized to unit photodetector area, between the first electrode and the photon-transmissive second electrode that is less than 10 pA/mm2.
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35. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and said photodetector having a level of charge trapping per photodetector pixel, quantified by the amount of said imaging signal lost to trapping during a single radiographic frame, and expressed as a percentage of the imaging signal obtained under conditions where charge trapping and charge release are in equilibrium, that is less than ˜
20%.
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36. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and said photodetector having a charge release per photodetector pixel, quantified by the amount of said imaging signal released from trapping states during the first frame acquired in the absence of radiation following a series of frames acquired with radiation and under conditions where charge trapping and charge release are in equilibrium, and expressed as a percentage of the imaging signal obtained under conditions where charge trapping and release are in equilibrium, that is less than ˜
15%.
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37. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and said photodetector having a lag per photodetector pixel, quantified by the amount of said imaging signal that originates from charge trapped in one or more previous frames and is released from trapping states during the first frame acquired in the absence of radiation following one, or a series of frames acquired with radiation, and expressed as a percentage of the imaging signal from the previous frame, that is less than ˜
15%.
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38. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; said first electrode extending over a part of the pixel circuitry and having a lateral edge, a longitudinal edge, and a corner at the intersection of the lateral and longitudinal edges; and at least one of said lateral edge and said longitudinal edge comprising a beveled edge.
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39. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector pixel including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer; a passivation layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is disposed above a plane including the pixel circuitry; the passivation layer having a first surface inflection above the pixel circuitry elements; said second electrode having a second surface inflection above the first surface inflection; and said second surface inflection having a radius of curvature greater than one-half a micron.
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40. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer; a passivation layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; a surface of at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry and exhibiting no surface features indicative of the underlying pixel circuitry.
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41. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode, and said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; a surface of at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry and having a surface inflection above features of the pixel circuitry; and said surface inflection having a radius of curvature greater than one half micron. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode, and said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry, wherein the planarization layer has a first surface inflection along a peripheral edge of features of the pixel circuitry elements, the first electrode has a second surface inflection above the first surface inflection and on a surface of the planarization layer opposite the base substrate, and said second surface inflection has a radius of curvature greater than one-half micron.
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45. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode, and said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and said photoconductor detector having a dark current, normalized to unit photoconductor detector area, between the first electrode and the second electrode that is less than 10 pA/mm2.
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46. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode, and said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and said photoconductor detector having a level of charge trapping per photoconductor detector pixel, quantified by the amount of said imaging signal lost to trapping during a single radiographic frame, and expressed as a percentage of the imaging signal obtained under conditions where charge trapping and charge release are in equilibrium, that is less than ˜
20%.
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47. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode, and said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and said photoconductor detector having a charge release per photoconductor detector pixel, quantified by the amount of said imaging signal released from trapping states during the first frame acquired in the absence of radiation following a series of frames acquired with radiation and under conditions where charge trapping and charge release are in equilibrium, and expressed as a percentage of the imaging signal obtained under conditions where charge trapping and release are in equilibrium, that is less than ˜
15%.
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48. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode, and said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and said photoconductor detector having a lag per photoconductor detector pixel, quantified by the amount of said imaging signal that originates from charge trapped in one or more previous frames and is released from trapping states during the first frame acquired in the absence of radiation following one, or a series of frames acquired with radiation, and expressed as a percentage of the imaging signal from the previous frame, that is less than ˜
15%.
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49. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode, and said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and said first electrode extending over the pixel circuitry and having a lateral edge, a longitudinal edge, and a corner at the intersection of the lateral and longitudinal edges; and at least one of said lateral edge and said longitudinal edge comprising a beveled edge.
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50. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode, and said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer; a passivation layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; the passivation layer having a first surface inflection above the pixel circuitry elements; said second electrode having a second surface inflection above the first surface inflection; and said second surface inflection having a radius of curvature greater than one-half a micron.
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51. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode; said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer; a passivation layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; a surface of at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry and exhibiting no surface features indicative of the underlying pixel circuitry.
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52. A method for fabricating a radiation sensor, comprising:
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forming pixel circuitry elements on a base substrate; forming a planarization layer over the pixel circuitry elements; forming a hole in the planarization layer to expose a connection to the pixel circuitry elements; metallizing the patterned hole; forming a first electrode in electrical contact to the metallized hole; and forming on the first electrode a layer sensitive to light or ionizing radiation, wherein forming a planarization layer provides, on a surface of the first electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry, a surface inflection, above features of the pixel circuitry, having a radius of curvature greater than one half micron.
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53. A method for fabricating a radiation sensor, comprising:
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forming pixel circuitry elements on a base substrate; forming above the pixel circuitry a first electrode and a photosensitive layer; planarizing the photosensitive layer; forming on the planarized photosensitive layer a photon-transmissive second electrode; and forming a scintillator layer on the photon-transmissive second electrode, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode has a surface inflection, above features of the pixel circuitry, having a radius of curvature greater than one half micron.
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54. A method for fabricating a radiation sensor, comprising:
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forming pixel circuitry elements on a base substrate; forming a planarization layer over the pixel circuitry elements; forming a hole in the planarization layer to expose a connection to the pixel circuitry elements; metallizing the patterned hole; forming a first electrode in electrical contact to the metallized hole; and forming on the first electrode a layer sensitive to light or ionizing radiation, wherein forming a planarization layer provides a surface of said first electrode, at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry, that exhibits no surface features indicative of the underlying pixel circuitry.
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55. A method for fabricating a radiation sensor, comprising:
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forming pixel circuitry elements on a base substrate; forming above the pixel circuitry a first electrode and a photosensitive layer; planarizing the photosensitive layer; forming on the planarized photosensitive layer a photon-transmissive second electrode; and forming a scintillator layer on the photon-transmissive second electrode, wherein planarizing the photosensitive layer provides a surface of said second electrode, at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry, that exhibits no surface features indicative of the underlying pixel circuitry.
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56. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation; a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer; said photosensitive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of said photons; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer, said pixel circuitry comprising oxide semiconductors; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; and a surface of at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry and having a surface inflection above features of the pixel circuitry.
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57. A radiation sensor comprising:
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a photoconductor detector including in order a first electrode, a photoconductive layer, and an ionizing radiation transmissive second electrode, and said photoconductive layer configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with ionizing radiation; pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of said electron-hole pairs generated in the photoconductive layer, said pixel circuitry comprising oxide semiconductors; a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry; a surface of at least one of said first electrode and said second electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry and having a surface inflection above features of the pixel circuitry.
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58. A method for fabricating a radiation sensor, comprising:
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forming pixel circuitry elements on a base substrate, said pixel circuitry comprising oxide semiconductors; forming a planarization layer over the pixel circuitry elements; forming a hole in the planarization layer to expose a connection to the pixel circuitry elements; metallizing the patterned hole; forming a first electrode in electrical contact to the metallized hole; and forming on the first electrode a layer sensitive to light or ionizing radiation, wherein forming a planarization layer provides, on a surface of the first electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel circuitry, a surface inflection, above features of the pixel circuitry.
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Specification