Electromagnetic radiation imaging devices and associated methods

• US 8,476,598 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SiOnyx, LLC (Black Silicon Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SiOnyx, LLC (Black Silicon Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pralle, Martin U., Carey, James, Saylor, Stephen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kiho
• Application Number:
  US12/872,932
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 25037001-37015, 378/98.8
• US Class Current: 250/370.09
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14658 X-ray, gamma-ray or corpuscular radiation imagers measuring X-, gamma- or corpuscular radiation G01T1/00

Abstract

Electromagnetic radiation detection systems and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, an electromagnetic radiation detection system includes a semiconductor material operable to detect electromagnetic radiation, the semiconductor material having a responsivity of greater than or equal to 0.3 A/W at an operating voltage of less than or equal to about 50 volts and at a wavelength of from about 0.01 nm to about 100 nm. The system can further include an electromagnetic radiation source positioned to deliver electromagnetic radiation to the semiconductor material.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic radiation detection system, comprising:

a silicon semiconductor material operable to detect electromagnetic radiation, the semiconductor material having a responsivity of greater than or equal to 0.3 A/W at an operating voltage of less than or equal to about 50 volts and at a wavelength of from about 0.01 nm to about 100 nm.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic radiation source positioned to deliver to the semiconductor material a quantity of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of from about 0.01 nm to about 100 nm.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material has a responsivity of greater than or equal to 0.3 A/W at an operating voltage of less than or equal to about 50 volts and at a wavelength of from about 0.01 nm to about 50 nm.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material has a responsivity of greater than or equal to 0.4 A/W at an operating voltage of less than or equal to about 50 volts and at a wavelength of from about 0.01 nm to about 100 nm.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material has a responsivity of greater than or equal to 0.7 A/W at an operating voltage of less than or equal to about 50 volts and at a wavelength of from about 0.01 nm to about 100 nm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating voltage is less than or equal to about 15 volts.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating voltage is less than or equal to about 10 volts.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material includes a laser treated region.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the laser treated region is doped with a dopant.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the dopant includes a member selected from the group consisting of group II, group III, group V and group VI materials, including combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material has an oxygen content of less than or equal to 50 ppm atomic.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material has been prepared by a process selected from the group consisting of float zone (FZ), Magnetic Czochralski (MCZ), Czochralski (CZ), and combinations thereof.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material has been annealed to a temperature of about 300°

C. to about 1100°

C.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material has a thickness of from about 500 nm to about 50 μ

m.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material has a thickness of from about 2 μ

m to about 10 μ

m.

16. An electromagnetic radiation detection system, comprising:

a wavelength converting material operable to absorb a first electromagnetic radiation wavelength in a range of from about 0.01 nm to about 100 nm and emit a second electromagnetic radiation wavelength in a range of from greater than about 100 nm to about 1500 nm; and

a semiconductor material operable to detect electromagnetic radiation and positioned relative to the wavelength converting material to receive the second electromagnetic radiation wavelength, the semiconductor material having a responsivity of greater than or equal to 0.8 A/W at an operating voltage of less than or equal to about 50 volts and at a wavelength of from about 100 nm to about 1500 nm.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor material is configured as a member selected from the group consisting of a photosensitive diode, a photosensitive diode array, a thin film transistor, and combinations thereof.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor material has a responsivity of greater than or equal to 0.8 A/W at an operating voltage of less than or equal to about 50 volts and at a wavelength of from about 400 nm to about 1100 nm.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the operating voltage is less than or equal to about 15 volts.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor material includes a laser treated region.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the laser treated region is doped with a dopant.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor material is comprised silicon.

23. A method for reducing electromagnetic radiation exposure to a subject, comprising:

providing an electromagnetic radiation detection system including a semiconductor photodetector material operated at less than 50 volts and configured to generate a responsivity greater than 0.3 A/W at a wavelength in the range of about 0.01 nm to about 100 nm;

exposing at least a portion of a subject with a sufficient amount of electromagnetic x-ray radiation to generate an electrical response within the semiconductor photodetector material; and

generating an image from the electrical response of the semiconductor photodetector material.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the sufficient amount of electromagnetic x-ray radiation is reduced by at least 5% as compared to a semiconductor photodetector material operated at greater than 50 V.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the sufficient amount of electromagnetic x-ray radiation is reduced by at least 10% as compared to a semiconductor photodetector material operated at greater than 50 V.