Image detector for X-ray radiation

• US 7,081,627 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Heismann, Bjoern, Von Der Haar, Thomas, Leppert, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOOSALIS, FANI POLYZOS
• Application Number:
  US10/667,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20040113085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 250/332, 250/339.02, 250/370.11, 250/370.08, 250/370.09, 250/368, 250/363.01, 250/361.R, 378/19
• US Class Current: 250/370.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20181 Stacked detectors, e.g. for measuring energy and positional information using a combination of different types of scintillation detectors, e.g. phoswich detectors, G01T1/2008

Abstract

An image detector is for detecting electromagnetic radiation, in particular X-ray radiation. It includes a carrier layer and a photosensor carried by the carrier layer. Each of the carrier layer and photosensor both have a nonvanishing transparency to the electromagnetic radiation. The image detector includes two or more carrier layers and photosensors carried thereby, arranged one above the other, so that the electromagnetic radiation can pass through them one after the other.

Claims

1. An image detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

at least two carrier layers; and

a photosensor, carried by each of said at least two carrier layers, wherein

each carrier layer and photosensor include a nonvanishing transparency to the electromagnetic radiation, and

said at least two carrier layers and corresponding photosensors are stacked alternately forming a single multilayer image detector in which electromagnetic radiation is passable through said at least two carriers and photosensors photosensors one after the other.

2. The image detector as claimed in claim 1, wherein each carrier layer carries a plurality of photosensors, arranged spatially on a respective carrier layer, wherein the plurality of photosensors are adapted to generate electrical signals in a manner dependent on the detection of electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the plurality of photosensors are jointly electrically contact-connected at least one of individually and within individual areas, so that the electromagnetic radiation is adapted to be detected in spatially resolved fashion.

3. The image detector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one of individual photosensors and photosensor areas of each carrier layer are arranged at least one of congruently and in overlapping fashion at least one of above and below the at least one of individual photosensors and photosensor areas of the other carrier layers.

4. The image detector as claimed in claim 3, wherein organic photodiodes are used as photosensors.

5. The image detector as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

at least one luminescent material layer, including a nonvanishing transparency to the electromagnetic radiation;

wherein

the at least one luminescent material layer is adapted to output a radiation of changed wavelength upon being excited by the electromagnetic radiation, the radiation of changed wavelength being detectable by the photosensors.

6. The image detector as claimed in claim 5, wherein at lest one of the at least one luminescent material layer and one of the at least two carrier layers form a common electrical contact for adjoining photosensors.

7. The image detector as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the layer thicknesses and layer materials of the individual planes of photosensors are varied in such a way that all the planes of photosensors are adapted to generate detection signals of approximately identical magnitude if the electromagnetic radiation passes through them one after the other.

8. The image detector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the layer thicknesses of the photosensors increase in the order in which the electromagnetic radiation is adapted to pass through them.

9. The image detector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one of individual photosensors and photosensor areas of each carrier layer are arranged randomly, so that the at least one of photosensors and photosensor areas which are arranged randomly at least one of above and below the at least one of photosensors and photosensor areas of other carrier layers are jointly utilizeable for the spatially resolved detection of the radiation to be detected.

10. The image detector as claimed in claim 9, wherein organic photodiodes are used as photosensors.

11. The image detector as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

at least one luminescent material layer, including a nonvanishing transparency to the electromagnetic radiation;

wherein

the at least one luminescent material layer is adapted to output a radiation of changed wavelength upon being excited by the electromagnetic radiation, the radiation of changed wavelength being detectable by the photosensors.

12. The image detector as claimed in claim 11, wherein at lest one of the at least one luminescent material layer and one of the at least two carrier layers form a common electrical contact for adjoining photosensors.

13. The image detector as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the layer thicknesses and layer materials of the individual planes of photosensors are varied in such a way that all the planes of photosensors are adapted to generate detection signals of approximately identical magnitude if the electromagnetic radiation passes through them one after the other.

14. The image detector as claimed in claim 9, wherein the layer thicknesses of the photosensors increase in the order in which the electromagnetic radiation is adapted to pass through them.

15. The image detector as claimed in claim 2, wherein organic photodiodes are used as photosensors.

16. The image detector as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

at least one luminescent material layer, including a nonvanishing transparency to the electromagnetic radiation;

wherein the at least one luminescent material layer is adapted to output a radiation of changed wavelength upon being excited by the electromagnetic radiation, the radiation of changed wavelength being detectable by the photosensors.

17. The image detector as claimed in claim 16, wherein at lest one of the at least one luminescent material layer and one of the at least two carrier layers form a common electrical contact for adjoining photosensors.

18. The image detector as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the layer thicknesses and layer materials of the individual planes of photosensors are varied in such a way that all the planes of photosensors are adapted to generate detection signals of approximately identical magnitude if the electromagnetic radiation passes through them one after the other.

19. The image detector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the layer thicknesses of the photosensors increase in the order in which the electromagnetic radiation is adapted to pass through them.

20. The image detector as claimed in claim 1, wherein organic photodiodes are used as photosensors.

21. The image detector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one luminescent material layer, including a nonvanishing transparency to the electromagnetic radiation, wherein

the at least one luminescent material layer is adapted to output a radiation of changed wavelength upon being excited by the electromagnetic radiation, the radiation of changed wavelength being detectable by the photosensors.

22. The image detector as claimed in claim 21, wherein at lest one of the at least one luminescent material layer and one of the at least two carrier layers form a common electrical contact for adjoining photosensors.

23. The image detector as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the layer thicknesses and layer materials of the individual planes of photosensors are varied in such a way that all the planes of photosensors are adapted to generate detection signals of approximately identical magnitude if the electromagnetic radiation passes through them one after the other.

24. The image detector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the layer thicknesses of the photosensors increase in the order in which the electromagnetic radiation is adapted to pass through them.

25. The image detector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image detector is for detecting X-ray radiation.

26. An image detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

a plurality of stacked carrier layers, each carrier layer including at least one photosensor;

wherein

each carrier layer and photosensor includes nonvanishing transparency to the electromagnetic radiation, and

the plurality of carrier layers are stacked on one another to form a single multilayer image detector, such that the electromagnetic radiation is passable there-through, one after another.

27. The image detector as claimed in claim 26, wherein the image detector is for detecting X-ray radiation.

28. The image detector as claimed in claim 26, wherein each layer includes a plurality of photosensors, arranged spatially on a respective layer, wherein the plurality of photosensors are adapted to generate electrical signals in a manner dependent on the detection of electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the plurality of photosensors are jointly electrically contact-connected at least one of individually and within individual areas, so that the electromagnetic radiation is adapted to be detected in spatially resolved fashion.

29. The image detector as claimed in claim 28, wherein the at least one of individual photosensors and photosensor areas of each layer are arranged at least one of congruently and in overlapping fashion at least one of above and below the at least one of individual photosensors and photosensor areas of the other layers.

30. The image detector as claimed in claim 28, wherein the at least one of individual photosensors and photosensor areas of each layer are arranged randomly, so that the at least one of photosensors and photosensor areas which are arranged randomly at least one of above and below the at least one of photosensors and photosensor areas of other layers are jointly utilizeable for the spatially resolved detection of the radiation to be detected.