Radiation detecting wearable devices

• US 9,759,672 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2015
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chao-Tuan Liu, James Francis Ziegler, Razmig Hagop Messerian, Wayne Newhauser
• Original Assignee: Chao-Tuan Liu, James Francis Ziegler, Razmig Hagop Messerian, Wayne Newhauser
• Inventors: Ziegler, James Francis, Messerian, Razmig Hagop, Newhauser, Wayne, Liu, Chao-tuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handy, Dwayne K
• Application Number:
  US14/821,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20150346350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 25037001, 25037007, 422 98, 422502
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/501 array
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/6126 tissue
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/026 Semiconductor dose-rate meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/085 the device being sensitive to very short wavelength, e.g. X-ray, Gamma-rays

Abstract

One feature pertains to a microdosimeter cell array that includes a plurality of microdosimeter cells each having a semiconductor volume adapted to generate a current in response to incident radiation. The semiconductor volumes of each of the plurality of microdosimeter cells have at least one of a size, a shape, a semiconductor type, and/or a semiconductor doping type and concentration that is associated with one or more cells or cell components of a human eye. A processing circuit is also communicatively coupled to the microdosimeter cell array and generates a signal based on the currents generated by the semiconductor volumes of the plurality of microdosimeter cells. The signal generated by the processing circuit is indicative of an amount of radiation absorbed by the microdosimeter cell array.

Claims

1. A wearable device comprising:

a first microdosimeter cell array including at least a first microdosimeter cell and a second microdosimeter cell, the first microdosimeter cell having a first semiconductor volume adapted to generate a first current in response to incident radiation, the first semiconductor volume having at least one of

(a) a first size approximating a size of a human eye cell,

(b) a first shape approximating a shape of the human eye cell,

(c) a first semiconductor doping type and concentration having an electrical conductivity that approximates an electrical conductivity of the human eye cell, and/or

(d) a first semiconductor type having a linear energy transfer (LET) value for a first type of radiation that approximates an LET value of the human eye cell for the first type of radiation,

the second microdosimeter cell having a second semiconductor volume adapted to generate a second current in response to the incident radiation, the second semiconductor volume having at least one of

(e) a second size approximating a size of a biological cell or cell component,

(f) a second shape approximating a shape of the biological cell or cell component,

(g) a second semiconductor doping type and concentration having an electrical conductivity that approximates an electrical conductivity of the biological cell or cell component, and/or

(h) a second semiconductor type having an LET value for the first type of radiation that approximates an LET value of the biological cell or cell component for the first type of radiation, and

wherein the biological cell or cell component is different than the human eye cell and at least one of the second size is different than the first size, the second shape is different than the first shape, the second semiconductor type is different than the first semiconductor type, and/or the second semiconductor doping type and concentration is different than the first semiconductor doping type and concentration; and

a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the first microdosimeter cell array and adapted to generate a first signal based on the first current and the second current generated by the first and second semiconductor volumes, the first signal indicative of an amount of radiation absorbed by the first microdosimeter cell array.

2. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the human eye cell is an epithelial cell of the human eye.

3. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising:

an output device communicatively coupled to the processing circuit, the output device adapted to output radiation information based on the first signal.

4. The wearable device of claim 3, wherein the radiation information provides at least one of an audible warning and/or visual warning that radiation levels have been detected that may cause cataracts and/or blindness to a user wearing the wearable device.

5. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising:

a frame adapted to couple to a human face, the first microdosimeter cell array coupled to the frame.

6. The wearable device of claim 5, wherein the frame is an eye glass frame.

7. The wearable device of claim 6, wherein the first microdosimeter cell array is positioned on a first rim, a first temple, and/or a bridge of the frame between the first rim and a second rim.

8. The wearable device of claim 7, further comprising:

a second microdosimeter cell array coupled to at least one of the second rim and/or a second temple of the frame, the second microdosimeter cell array including a plurality of microdosimeter cells each having a semiconductor volume adapted to generate current in response to the incident radiation, the semiconductor volumes of each of the plurality of microdosimeter cells of the second microdosimeter cell array having at least one of the first size, the first shape, the first semiconductor doping type and concentration, and the first semiconductor type, and wherein the processing circuit is communicatively coupled to the second microdosimeter cell array and adapted to generate a second signal based on the current generated by the semiconductor volumes of the second plurality of microdosimeter cells, the second signal indicative of an amount of radiation absorbed by the second microdosimeter cell array.

9. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the first microdosimeter cell array has a silicon on insulator (SOI) structure having at least a portion of a bottom silicon substrate layer under an insulator layer removed to form a cavity exposing the insulator layer.

10. The wearable device of claim 9, wherein the cavity is filled with a tissue equivalent material.

11. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone communicatively coupled to the processing circuit and adapted to receive voice commands that retrieve radiation information from the processing circuit, the radiation information indicative of the amount of radiation absorbed by the first microdosimeter cell array.

12. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless communication interface communicatively coupled to the processing circuit, the wireless communication interface adapted to transmit, to another device, a message that includes information indicative of the amount of radiation absorbed by the first microdosimeter cell array.

13. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor volume and the second semiconductor volume each have a lateral dimension ranging from 4 μ

m to 100 μ

m.

14. A wearable device comprising:

a microdosimeter cell array including a first plurality of microdosimeter cells and a second plurality of microdosimeter cells, the first plurality of microdosimeter cells each having

a first semiconductor volume adapted to generate a first current in response to incident radiation, the first semiconductor volume of each of the first plurality of microdosimeter cells having a first size, a first shape, a first semiconductor type, a first semiconductor doping type, and a first semiconductor doping concentration, and the second plurality of microdosimeter cells each having

a second semiconductor volume adapted to generate a second current in response to incident radiation, the second semiconductor volume of each of the second plurality of microdosimeter cells having a second size, a second shape, a second semiconductor type, a second semiconductor doping type, and a second semiconductor doping concentration, wherein at least one of the second size is different than the first size, the second shape is different than the first shape, the second semiconductor type is different than the first semiconductor type, the second semiconductor doping type is different than the first semiconductor doping type, and/or the second semiconductor doping concentration is different than the first semiconductor doping concentration; and

a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the microdosimeter cell array and configured to generate a signal based on the first current and the second current, the signal indicative of an amount of radiation absorbed by the first plurality microdosimeter cells and the second plurality of microdosimeter cells.

15. The wearable device of claim 14, wherein the first plurality of microdosimeter cells are associated with a human eye cell such that at least one of the first size approximates a size of a human eye cell, the first shape approximates a shape of the human eye cell, the first semiconductor type has a linear energy transfer (LET) value for a first type of radiation that approximates an LET value of the human eye cell for the first type of radiation, and/or the first semiconductor doping type and the first semiconductor doping concentration causes the first semiconductor volume to have an electrical conductivity that approximates an electrical conductivity of the human eye cell.

16. The wearable device of claim 15, further comprising:

an output device communicatively coupled to the processing circuit, the output device adapted to output at least one of an audio and/or visual warning indicating that radiation levels have been detected that may cause cataracts and/or blindness.

17. The wearable device of claim 15, wherein the human eye cell is an epithelial cell, and the wearable device further comprises:

a frame adapted to couple to a human face, the microdosimeter cell array coupled to the frame.

18. A method of manufacturing a wearable device, the method comprising:

obtaining a linear energy transfer (LET) value of a human eye lens epithelial cell for a first type of radiation;

determining a semiconductor type having an LET value for the first type of radiation that approximates the LET value of the human eye lens epithelial cell obtained;

forming a microdosimeter cell array including a plurality of microdosimeter cells each having a semiconductor volume adapted to generate a current in response to incident radiation, the semiconductor volumes of each of the plurality of microdosimeter cells formed with the semiconductor type determined to have the LET value for the first type of radiation that approximates the LET value of the human eye lens epithelial cell obtained; and

communicatively coupling a processing circuit to the microdosimeter cell array, the processing circuit adapted to generate a signal based on the current generated by the semiconductor volumes of the plurality of microdosimeter cells, the signal indicative of an amount of radiation absorbed by the microdosimeter cell array.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

coupling a frame to the microdosimeter cell array, the frame adapted to be worn on a human face.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

communicatively coupling an output device to the processing circuit, the output device adapted to output at least one of an audio and/or visual warning indicating that radiation levels have been detected that may cause cataracts and/or blindness.