Photoelectric conversion apparatus having a shielding member between an arbitrary conversion element and a wavelength converter

• US 6,034,406 A
• Filed: 10/22/1997
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Itabashi, Satoshi, Sato, Toshiaki, Kobayashi, Isao, Endo, Tadao, Kaifu, Noriyuki, Kameshima, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo , Ngan V.
• Application Number:
  US08/955,815
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 257/435, 257/440, 257/443
• US Class Current: 257/435
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14603 Special geometry or disposition of pixel-elements, address-lines or gate-electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14623 Optical shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14676 X-ray, gamma-ray or corpuscular radiation imagers measuring X-, gamma- or corpuscular radiation G01T1/00

Abstract

A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged two-dimensionally on a substrate wherein the X-ray or light incidence side of some proper one or ones of the photoelectric conversion elements S13 is covered with a shielding member whose transmittance to an X-ray or light is equal to zero or substantially zero so that the photoelectric conversion elements covered with the shielding member act as correction photoelectric conversion elements thereby achieving an improvement in production yield, a reduction in cost, and a reduction in the time required to read the correction output signals, and also high performance capable of obtaining a moving picture.

Claims

1. A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements two-dimensionally arranged on a substrate;

a wavelength converter arranged at an image information input side of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; and

a shielding member with a transmittance of 0% or substantially 0% to an X-ray or light disposed between an arbitrary photoelectric conversion element among said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and said wavelength converter.

2. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shielding member includes a filter.

3. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said filter has a color component complementary to the color of light incident on said filter.

4. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further including a second shielding member having a transmittance m to light satisfying the condition 0<

m<

100%.

5. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric conversion element corresponding to said shielding member is a photoelectric conversion element for correction.

6. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said photoelectric conversion element corresponding to said second shielding member is a photoelectric conversion element for sensitivity correction.

7. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shielding member is disposed at a location corresponding to a photoelectric conversion element located in a corner of said photoelectric conversion part.

8. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shielding member is disposed at a location corresponding to a line of photoelectric conversion elements.

9. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said line of photoelectric conversion elements includes a line at an end of said photoelectric conversion part.

10. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric conversion part comprises a plurality of substrates disposed in close proximity to one another.

11. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each said substrate has its own shielding member.

12. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wavelength converter includes a phosphor.

13. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shielding member includes lead.

14. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said photoelectric conversion element for correction is used to made an offset correction.

15. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each said photoelectric conversion element comprises:

a first electrode layer;

a first insulating layer acting as a barrier for preventing both first-type carriers and second-type carriers opposite in polarity to said first-type carriers from passing through said insulating layer;

a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer made of a non-single crystal semiconductor;

a second electrode layer; and

an injection barrier for preventing said first-type carriers from being injected into said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer, said injection barrier being located between said second electrode layer and said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer.

16. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further including a switching element for driving said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer.

17. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said switching element is disposed for each said photoelectric conversion element.

18. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said switching element includes a thin film transistor.

19. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 15, further including:

a control part for controlling said switching element in such a manner that in a refreshing mode, an electric field is applied across the respective layers of said photoelectric conversion elements in a direction in which said first-type carriers are directed from said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer to said second electrode layer, and in a photoelectric conversion mode an electric field is applied across the respective layers of said photoelectric conversion elements in a direction in which said first-type carriers generated by light incident on said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer remain within said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer and said second-type carriers are directed to said second electrode layer so that said first-type carriers accumulated in said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer or said second-type carriers directed to said second electrode layer in said photoelectric conversion mode are detected as an optical signal;

a power supply; and

a detecting part for performing said detection.

20. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said switching element includes:

a gate electrode layer;

a second insulating layer;

a non-single crystal semiconductor layer;

a pair of first and second main electrode layers spaced by a channel region formed in said semiconductor layer; and

ohmic contact layers disposed between said main electrode layers and said semiconductor layer.

21. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 15, further including switching elements corresponding to the respective photoelectric conversion elements, each said switching element including:

a gate electrode layer;

a second insulating layer;

a semiconductor layer;

a pair of main electrode layers formed on said semiconductor layer via an ohmic contact layer, said main electrode layers being spaced from each other, wherein in said photoelectric conversion elements and said switching elements, said first electrode layer and said gate electrode layer, said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer and said semiconductor layer, said second electrode layer and said main electrode layer, and said injection barrier layer and said ohmic contact layer are formed with corresponding common layers, respectively.

22. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wavelength converter comprises a function of converting the wavelength of image information inputted to a wavelength range which can be detected by photoelectric conversion elements.

23. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wavelength converter comprises CsI.

24. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a transmittance of a second shielding member to an X-ray or light is 50%.

49. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a case for enclosing the substrate, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, said wavelength converter, and said shielding member.

50. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the case is made of carbon fiber.

25. A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged two-dimensionally on a substrate;

a wavelength converter arranged at the image information input side of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; and

a shielding member with a transmittance of 0% or substantially 0% to an X-ray or light disposed at the image information input side of said wavelength converter corresponding to an arbitrary photoelectric conversion element among said photoelectric conversion elements.

26. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said shielding member includes a filter.

27. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said filter has a color component complementary to the color of light incident on said filter.

28. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, further including a second shielding member having a transmittance m to light satisfying the condition 0<

m<

100%.

29. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said photoelectric conversion element corresponding to said shielding member is a photoelectric conversion element for correction.

30. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said photoelectric conversion element corresponding to said second shielding member is a photoelectric conversion element for sensitivity correction.

31. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said shielding member is disposed at a location corresponding to a photoelectric conversion element located in a corner of said photoelectric conversion part.

32. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said shielding member is disposed at a location corresponding to a line of photoelectric conversion elements.

33. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said line of photoelectric conversion elements includes a line at an end of said photoelectric conversion part.

34. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said photoelectric conversion part comprises a plurality of substrates disposed in close proximity to one another.

35. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 34, wherein each said substrate has its own shielding member.

36. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said wavelength converter includes a phosphor.

37. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said shielding member includes lead.

38. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said photoelectric conversion element for correction is used to made an offset correction.

39. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein each said photoelectric conversion element comprises:

a first electrode layer;

a first insulating layer acting as a barrier for preventing both first-type carriers and second-type carriers opposite in polarity to said first-type carriers from passing through said insulating layer;

a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer made of a non-single crystal semiconductor;

a second electrode layer; and

an injection barrier for preventing said first-type carriers from being injected into said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer, said injection barrier being located between said second electrode layer and said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer.

40. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, further including a switching element for driving said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer.

41. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said switching element is disposed for each said photoelectric conversion element.

42. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said switching element includes a thin film transistor.

43. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 39, further including:

a control part for controlling said switching element in such a manner that in a refreshing mode, an electric field is applied across the respective layers of said photoelectric conversion elements in a direction in which said first-type carriers are directed from said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer to said second electrode layer, and in a photoelectric conversion mode an electric field is applied across the respective layers of said photoelectric conversion elements in a direction in which said first-type carriers generated by light incident on said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer remain within said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer and said second-type carriers are directed to said second electrode layer so that said first-type carriers accumulated in said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer or said second-type carriers directed to said second electrode layer in said photoelectric conversion mode are detected as an optical signal;

a power supply; and

a detecting part for performing said detection.

44. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said switching element includes:

a gate electrode layer;

a second insulating layer;

a non-single crystal semiconductor layer;

a pair of first and second main electrode layers spaced by a channel region formed in said semiconductor layer; and

ohmic contact layers disposed between said main electrode layers and said semiconductor layer.

45. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 39, further including switching elements corresponding to the respective photoelectric conversion elements, each said switching element including:

a gate electrode layer;

a second insulating layer;

a semiconductor layer;

a pair of main electrode layers formed on said semiconductor layer via an ohmic contact layer, said main electrode layers being spaced from each other, wherein in said photoelectric conversion elements and said switching elements, said first electrode layer and said gate electrode layer, said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer and said semiconductor layer, said second electrode layer and said main electrode layer, and said injection barrier layer and said ohmic contact layer are formed with corresponding common layers, respectively.

46. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said wavelength converter comprises a function of converting the wavelength of image information inputted to a wavelength range which can be detected by photoelectric conversion elements.

47. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said wavelength converter comprises CsI.

48. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 28, wherein a transmittance of a second shielding member to an X-ray or light is 50%.

51. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising a case for enclosing the substrate, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, said wavelength converter, and said shielding member.

52. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 51, wherein the case is made of carbon fiber.

53. An image processing system comprising:

a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged two-dimensionally on a substrate;

a wavelength converter arranged at an image information input side of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements;

a shielding member with a transmittance of 0% or substantially 0% to an X-ray or light disposed between an arbitrary photoelectric conversion element among said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and said wavelength converter; and

an image processing means for processing an image by amending the output from the said photoelectric conversion elements not corresponding to said shielding member on the basis of the output from the said arbitrary photoelectric conversion element corresponding to said shielding member.

54. An image processing system according to claim 53, wherein said wavelength converter converts the X-ray to light with a wavelength which can be detected by photoelectric conversion elements.

56. An image processing system according to claim 53, wherein said wavelength converter converts the X-ray to light with a wavelength which can be detected by photoelectric conversion elements.

55. An image processing system comprising:

a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged two-dimensionally on a substrate;

a wavelength converter arranged at the image information input side of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements;

a shielding member with a transmittance 0% or substantially 0% to an X-ray or light disposed at the image information input side of said wavelength converter corresponding to an arbitrary photoelectric conversion element among said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; and

an image processing means for processing an image by amending the output from said photoelectric conversion elements not corresponding to said shielding member on the basis of the output from said arbitrary photoelectric conversion element corresponding to said shielding member.