X-ray imaging system and solid state detector therefor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An x-ray imaging system comprising:
- an x-ray source for producing an x-ray field having sufficient energy such that compton scattering and pair production have a higher combined probability of producing free electrons in silicon than the photoelectric effect; and
an x-ray detector comprising a solid state device having a plurality of layers, one of said layers including a semiconductor material with a plurality of charge storage devices, said detector having an extra absorber material for the purpose of enhancing x-ray absorption, said extra absorber material being exposed to said x-ray field to produce free electrons and being positioned sufficiently close to said semiconductor material to permit said free electrons to interact with said charge storage devices.
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Abstract
The x-ray imaging system comprises an x-ray source for producing an x-ray beam and an x-ray detector. The x-ray detector comprises a solid state integrated circuit having a silicon substrate and a plurality of charge storage devices. A circuit is provided for placing a charge on the charge storage devices and the integrated circuit is disposed in an x-ray permeable material. The detector is positioned in an x-ray beam such that the charge is dissipated by secondary radiation produced by interaction between the x-ray beam and the silicon substrate of the integrated circuit.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. An x-ray imaging system comprising:
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an x-ray source for producing an x-ray field having sufficient energy such that compton scattering and pair production have a higher combined probability of producing free electrons in silicon than the photoelectric effect; and an x-ray detector comprising a solid state device having a plurality of layers, one of said layers including a semiconductor material with a plurality of charge storage devices, said detector having an extra absorber material for the purpose of enhancing x-ray absorption, said extra absorber material being exposed to said x-ray field to produce free electrons and being positioned sufficiently close to said semiconductor material to permit said free electrons to interact with said charge storage devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An x-ray imaging system comprising:
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an x-ray source for producing an x-ray field having an energy level sufficiently high that compton scattering and pair production have a higher combined probability of producing free electrons in silicon than the photoelectric effect; an x-ray detector comprising a solid state integrated random access circuit having a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of charge storage devices, and circuit means including a plurality of conductor lines for randomly accessing each of said charge storage devices, said detector being positioned to be exposed to said x-ray field such that charges on said charge storage devices are affected by free electrons produced by said x-ray field; and means for sensing a charge on each of said charge storage devices through said circuit means. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of detecting an x-ray image comprising:
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storing charges on a plurality of charge storage devices formed in a random access integrated circuit; producing an x-ray field having an energy level sufficiently high that compton scattering and pair production have a combined probability of producing free electrons in silicon greater than the photoelectric effect; exposing an object to be imaged to said x-ray field; exposing said integrated circuit to the x-ray field from said object such that said x-ray field interacts with said integrated circuit to produce said free electrons to reduce the charge on said charge storage devices; and sensing the charge on said charge storage devices. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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Specification