Method of fabricating a device having a wafer with integrated processing circuits thereon
First Claim
1. A method for fabricating an integrated x-ray detection system, comprising the steps of:
- integrating a plurality of active signal processing circuits into a wafer having a corresponding plurality of digital input/output contacts, said plurality of active signal processing circuits receiving pulses at a respective plurality of active signal inputs and processing said pulses to output digital information at said corresponding plurality of digital input/output contacts;
forming an isolating layer over said plurality of active signal processing circuits; and
applying a polyimide layer over said wafer having a plurality of vias, said plurality of vias exposing said plurality of digital input/output contacts; and
fabricating an x-ray detector over said wafer by metal deposition and application of insulating layers at temperatures sufficiently low such that said plurality of active signal processing circuits are not damaged, said x-ray detector having alternating potential strip and a plurality of anodes being electrically coupled to said plurality of active signal processing circuits, wherein said x-ray detector receives x-ray photons and outputs pluses at particular ones of said plurality of anodes closest to said x-ray photons, said active signal processing circuits processing said pulses and outputting digital information indicating locations and energies of said x-ray photons at said plurality of digital input/output contacts, wherein said isolating layer electrically isolates said x-ray detector from said plurality of signal processing circuits.
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Abstract
An integrated x-ray detection system includes an x-ray detector fabricated on a wafer with a housing for containing a gas. The detector has a plurality of microstrip anodes and the housing passes x-rays which partially ionize the gas thereby producing a pulse at one of the anodes. The same wafer also has a plurality of integrated active signal processing circuits which are respectively coupled to the anodes. Each active signal processing circuit receives and processes pulses from respective ones of the anodes and outputs a digital signal indicating the location and energy of x-rays detected by the detector. An isolation layer separates the x-ray detector from the active signal processing circuits.
51 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for fabricating an integrated x-ray detection system, comprising the steps of:
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integrating a plurality of active signal processing circuits into a wafer having a corresponding plurality of digital input/output contacts, said plurality of active signal processing circuits receiving pulses at a respective plurality of active signal inputs and processing said pulses to output digital information at said corresponding plurality of digital input/output contacts; forming an isolating layer over said plurality of active signal processing circuits; and applying a polyimide layer over said wafer having a plurality of vias, said plurality of vias exposing said plurality of digital input/output contacts; and fabricating an x-ray detector over said wafer by metal deposition and application of insulating layers at temperatures sufficiently low such that said plurality of active signal processing circuits are not damaged, said x-ray detector having alternating potential strip and a plurality of anodes being electrically coupled to said plurality of active signal processing circuits, wherein said x-ray detector receives x-ray photons and outputs pluses at particular ones of said plurality of anodes closest to said x-ray photons, said active signal processing circuits processing said pulses and outputting digital information indicating locations and energies of said x-ray photons at said plurality of digital input/output contacts, wherein said isolating layer electrically isolates said x-ray detector from said plurality of signal processing circuits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for fabricating a system, comprising the steps of:
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providing a wafer capable of supporting integrated circuitry; integrating a plurality of active signal processing circuits into said wafer; fabricating a plurality of anodes on said wafer, wherein said plurality of active signal processing circuits are respectively coupled into said plurality of anodes; arranging a plurality of potential strips alternately among said plurality of anodes; arranging a cathode plane along said wafer; fabricating a back potential plane on said wafer; separating said plurality of anodes, said plurality of potential strips, and said back potential plane from said plurality of active signal processing circuits with an insulation layer; and housing said wafer and providing a gas in a housing.
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11. A method of fabricating a integrated microstrip gas proportional chamber x-ray system, comprising the steps of:
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applying and processing a first polyimide resin layer on top of a passivation layer over a plurality of integrated signal processing circuits in a layer of a wafer; depositing and lifting off metal for a shield layer on top of said first polyimide resin layer; applying and processing a second polyimide layer on top of said shield layer; depositing and lifting off metal for a back potential plane on top of said second polyimide layer; applying and processing a third polyimide layer on top of said back potential plane; depositing and lifting off metal for an anode and potential strip layer on top of said third polyimide layer automatically connecting portions of said anode and potential strip layer to said plurality of integrated signal processing circuits; applying and processing a fifth polyimide layer on top of said anode and potential strip layer; cutting said wafer to size and package in a pressure cell; connecting bond wires disposed on said wafer to pins of a feedthrough passing through said pressure cell; and evacuating and backfilling said pressure cell with a gas, and sealing said system.
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12. A method of fabricating an integrated device, comprising the steps of:
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applying and processing a first polyimide resin layer on top of a passivation layer over a plurality of integrated signal processing circuits in a layer of a wafer; depositing and lifting off metal for a shield layer on top of said first polyimide resin layer; applying and processing a second polyimide layer on top of said shield layer; depositing and lifting off metal for a back potential plane on top of said second polyimide layer; applying and processing a third polyimide layer on top of said back potential plane; depositing and lifting off metal for an anode and potential strip layer on top of said third polyimide layer automatically connecting portions of said anode and potential strip layer to said plurality of integrated signal processing circuits; and applying and processing a fifth polyimide layer on top of said anode and potential strip layer.
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Specification