RADIATION IMAGING ELEMENT

• US 20090078877A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Masaya, YAEGASHI, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,008,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/370.80
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2006 using a combination of a scintillator and photodetector which measures the means radiation intensity

Abstract

A radiation imaging element that includes a plurality of pixel portions each having a phosphor layer that absorbs radiation transmitted through a subject to emit light, a photoelectric conversion portion that includes an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, and a TFT which outputs a signal corresponding to an electric charge generated in the photoelectric conversion layer, wherein the TFT includes at least a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, an active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode, and an electric insulating layer is further provided so as to be electrically connected between the active layer and at least one of the source electrode or the drain electrode.

Claims

1. A radiation imaging element that receives radiation transmitted through a subject and outputs an image signal corresponding to an amount of the radiation, wherein the radiation imaging element comprises a plurality of pixel portions each comprising:

a photoelectric conversion portion having a lower electrode formed on a substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the photoelectric conversion layer;

a phosphor layer formed on the upper electrode; and

a field-effect transistor provided at the substrate so as to correspond to the photoelectric conversion portion, for outputting the image signal corresponding to an electric charge generated in the photoelectric conversion layer,

wherein the field-effect transistor includes at least a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, an active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode, and an electric resistance layer is provided so as to be electrically connected between the active layer and at least one of the source electrode or the drain electrode.

2. The radiation imaging element according to claim 1, wherein at least the active layer and the electric resistance layer are laminated on the substrate, the active layer is in contact with the gate insulating layer, and the electric resistance layer is in contact with at least one of the source electrode or the drain electrode.

3. The radiation imaging element according to claim 2, wherein the electric resistance layer is thicker than the active layer.

4. The radiation imaging element according to claim 1, wherein an electric conductivity continuously changes between the electric resistance layer and the active layer.

5. The radiation imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the active layer and the electric resistance layer include an oxide semiconductor.

6. The radiation imaging element according to claim 5, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises an amorphous oxide semiconductor.

7. The radiation imaging element according to claim 5, wherein the active layer has an oxygen concentration lower than that of the electric resistance layer.

8. The radiation imaging element according to claim 5, wherein the oxide semiconductor includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of indium, gallium and zinc, or a composite oxide of a combination of materials selected from the group consisting of indium, gallium and zinc.

9. The radiation imaging element according to claim 8, wherein the oxide semiconductor includes indium and zinc, and a composition ratio of zinc (Zn) to indium (In), i.e., Zn/In, in the electric resistance layer is larger than that in the active layer.

10. The radiation imaging element according to claim 1, wherein an electric conductivity of the active layer is 10⁻

4 Scm<sup>−

1</sup> or more, and less than 10² Scm<sup>−

1</sup>.

11. The radiation imaging element according to claim 10, wherein the electric conductivity of the active layer is 10⁻

1 Scm<sup>−

1</sup> or more, and less than 10² Scm<sup>−

1</sup>.

12. The radiation imaging element according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of an electric conductivity of the active layer to an electric conductivity of the electric resistance layer (i.e., electric conductivity of active layer/electric conductivity of electric resistance layer) is from 10² to 10⁸.

13. The radiation imaging element according to claim 12, wherein the ratio of the electric conductivity of the active layer to the electric conductivity of the electric resistance layer (i.e., electric conductivity of active layer/electric conductivity of electric resistance layer) is from 10² to 10⁸.

14. The radiation imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a flexible resin substrate.