Image capture panel using a solid state device

• US 5,498,880 A
• Filed: 01/12/1995
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Direct Radiography Corp. (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bindloss, William, Lee, Denny L. Y., Jeromin, Lothar S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willis, David L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANIG, RICHARD E
• Application Number:
  US08/371,904
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 250/580, 250/370.09, 250/370.11, 257/59, 257/444
• US Class Current: 250/580
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14676 X-ray, gamma-ray or corpuscular radiation imagers measuring X-, gamma- or corpuscular radiation G01T1/00

Abstract

An image capture panel includes a substrate layer of dielectric material having a top surface and a bottom surface. A plurality of sensors is arrayed in a matrix of rows and columns adjacent the top surface of the substrate layer. Each of the sensors has a switching device and a sensing element. A portion of the sensing element are really covers the switching device so as to be substantially coextensive therewith. Prefereably, the sensing element also extends over at least a part of the horizontal spacing and/or the vertical spacing which separates, respectively, each row of sensors and each column of sensors.

Claims

1. In an image capture panel, including a substrate layer of dielectric material having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a plurality of sensors arrayed in a matrix of rows and columns adjacent the top surface of said substrate layer, each of said sensors having a switching device and a sensing element, the improvement comprising a portion of said sensing element areally covering the switching device so as to be substantially coextensive therewith.

2. A panel in accordance with claim 1 wherein each row of sensors is separated from an adjacent row by a horizontal spacing and each column of sensors is separated from an adjacent column by a vertical spacing, and wherein said sensing element also extends over at least a part of the adjacent horizontal spacing and/or the adjacent vertical spacing.

3. A panel in accordance with claim 2 further comprising means disposed adjacent the top surface of said substrate layer for electronically accessing each of said switching devices individually.

4. A panel in accordance with claim 3 wherein each switching device comprises a thin-film field effect transistor (FET) having a source connected to said sensing element, and a drain and a gate both connected to said means for accessing.

5. A panel in accordance with claim 3 wherein each sensing element comprises:

a conductive microplate connected to at least one of said switching devices;

a conductive collecting element connected to said microplate, said conductive collecting element having a top surface opposite said substrate layer;

a photoconductive layer disposed over said conductive collecting element;

a barrier dielectric layer disposed over the photoconductive layer; and

a top conducting layer disposed over the barrier dielectric layer.

6. A panel in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a charge blocking layer disposed adjacent the top surface of each conductive collecting element.

7. A panel in accordance with claim 5 wherein said photoconductive layer is disposed over said means for accessing.

8. A panel in accordance with claim 5 wherein said photoconductive layer, said barrier dielectric layer and said top conducting layer are disposed, respectively, as continuous layers over said conductive collecting elements.