X-ray imaging device

• US 4,940,901 A
• Filed: 11/07/1988
• Issued: 07/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson-CSF
• Original Assignee: Thomson-CSF
• Inventors: Arques, Marc, Henry, Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Application Number:
  US07/268,262
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 250/370.11, 250/370.09
• US Class Current: 250/370.09
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20187 Position of the scintillator with respect to the photodiode, e.g. photodiode surrounding the crystal, the crystal surrounding the photodiode, shape or size of the scintillator
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02322 comprising luminescent members, e.g. fluorescent sheets upon the device

Abstract

The disclosure concerns devices for the conversion of images into electronic signals with particular application to X-ray imaging. Instead of forming, on an insulating glass substrate, a strip or matrix of photosensitive elements (PIN diodes) which are then coated with a scintillating sheet bonded to or pressed against the upper surface of the photosensitive elements, a scintillating layer is deposited on the substrate before forming the photosensitive elements. Thus, a gain in sensitivity and definition is achieved. It is moreover possible to preserve, in addition to the scintillating layer deposited between the substrate and the photosensitive elements, a scintillating layer bonded to or pressed against the upper surface of the unit. The two scintillators may be identical or different in nature. If they are different, they may react to different wavelengths but may also emit in different wavelengths.

Claims

1. A device for the conversion of images into electrical signals comprising, firstly, a matrix arrangement of photosensitive elements formed on an insulating substrate and, secondly, a scintillating substance, wherein said scintillating substance is interposed between said substrate and the matrix of photosensitive elements, said matrix being formed as a non-self-supporting superposition of patterned layers deposited on the substrate and wherein an insulating planarization layer is interposed between the scintillating substance and the deposited layers of the matrix.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating planarization layer is made of polyimide.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the scintillating layer is a sheet of resin charged with a scintillation powder, said sheet being bonded to the substrate.

4. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the scintillating layer is formed from a mixture of a binder and a scintillating powder, said mixture being deposited on the substrate and then annealed.

5. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a layer reflecting the wavelengths emitted by the scintillating layer, said reflecting layer being interposed between the substrate and the scintillating layer.

6. A device for the conversion of images into electrical signals comprising, firstly, a photosensitive detector formed on an insulating substrate and, secondly, a first scintillating layer, wherein said first scintillating layer is interposed between said substrate and the detector, and further comprising another scintillating layer bonded to or pressed against the upper surface of the photosensitive detector.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the first and second scintillating layers are sensitive to different incident radiation wavelengths.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the photosensitive detector is a strip or matrix of photosensitive elements, wherein the two scintillators emit different wavelengths and wherein there is provided a first mask interposed between the first scintillating layer and the detector, and a second mask interposed between the second scintillating layer and the detector, the first mask comprising opaque zones and transparent zones with respect to one of the emitted wavelengths, and the second mask comprising opaque zones and transparent zones with respect to the other wavelength, the opaque zones of the masks being alternated to assign every other photosensitive element to the detection of one of the two wavelengths.