Imaging device having a radiation detecting structure disposed at a semiconductor substrate with a thermalizing material and a first radiation-reactive material sensitive to neutron radiation

• US 8,232,515 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Batam PT (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Spansion LLC (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Hossain, Timothy Z., Clopton, Patrick Mark, Fullwood, Clayton, Posey, Dan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Que T
• Application Number:
  US12/472,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20090302203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214.1, 250/214.R, 250/238, 250/239, 250/208.1, 250/207, 250/214.VT, 25037009-37014, 2503381-3384, 378/98.11, 378/98.12
• US Class Current: 250/214.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14609 Pixel-elements with integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements scanning details of imagers (circuitry of solid-state image sensors H04N25/00); circuitry of imagers H04N25/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1462 Coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14676 X-ray, gamma-ray or corpuscular radiation imagers measuring X-, gamma- or corpuscular radiation G01T1/00

Abstract

An imaging device suitable for detecting certain imaging particles and recording the detection of imaging particles, and as such can include certain recording devices such as a charge storage structure.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first radiation-detecting structure disposed at a semiconductor substrate comprising a thermalizing material, the first radiation-detecting structure comprising a first radiation-reactive material sensitive to neutron radiation.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first radiation detecting structure comprises a charge storage structure, the charge storage structure disposed between the thermalizing material and a second thermalizing material.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the thermalizing material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-containing materials, deuterium-containing materials, and carbon-containing materials.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the thermalizing material comprises a polymer selected from the group of polymers consisting of polyolefins, polyamides, polyimides, polyesters, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, polyurethanes, polyethers, polysulphones, polyvinyls, and polyactic acids, or a combination thereof.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first radiation-detecting structure further comprises a second radiation-reactive material sensitive to a second radiation type.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a base;

the substrate overlying at least a portion of the base, and the radiation-detecting structure including an array of charge storage structures at the substrate.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the radiation-detecting structure comprises a memory array comprising the array of charge storage structures.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the charge storage structures within the array of charge storage structures comprise a conductive charge storage layer.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the charge storage structures within the array of charge storage structures comprise a non-conductive charge storage layer.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the charge storage structures within the array of charge storage structures comprise a nitrogen-containing layer disposed between and in direct contact with an underlying dielectric layer and an overlying dielectric layer.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the substrate is disposed within an interior space within the base.

12. The device of claim 6, wherein the substrate has a diameter of at least about 10 cm.

13. The device of claim 6, wherein the substrate has an average thickness within a range between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

14. The device of claim 6, further comprising a cover overlying the radiation-detecting structure.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the cover is an interposer to provide electrical connections between the radiation-detecting structure and an external contact of the interposer.

16. A device comprising:

a first radiation-detecting structure comprising a charge-storage structure and a neutron radiation-reactive material; and

a second radiation-detecting structure comprising a charge-storage structure electrically coupled to the first radiation-detecting structure.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the first radiation-detecting structure is part of a first substrate and the second radiation-detecting structure is part of a second substrate, wherein the first substrate and second substrate are different substrates.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising a housing, the housing containing a plurality of substrates, each substrate of the plurality of substrates comprising a plurality of radiation-detecting structures.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the array of radiation-detecting structures define a major plane of each respective substrate, and wherein each major plane of the respective substrates are coplanar with each other.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a thermalizing material disposed between each of the substrates of the plurality of substrates.