Radiation sensor and dosimeter incorporating same

• US 6,614,025 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Best Theratronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Thomson & Nielsen Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Hartshorn, Andrew, Thomson, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Shun
• Application Number:
  US09/796,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20010032933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 250/370.01, 257/701, 257/787, 600/436
• US Class Current: 250/370.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/026 Semiconductor dose-rate meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/161 Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00

Abstract

In a dosimeter probe comprising a semiconductor diode or a field effect transistor for monitoring levels of radiation during medical procedures, such as the treatment of tumors, the transistor or diode is fabricated epitaxially upon a surface of a substrate and a dummy die, i.e., a slab of material similar to that of the substrate, is positioned adjacent the substrate surface so as to overlie an active region of the transistor or diode and a relatively large area of the substrate surrounding the active region. The arrangement is such that, whatever the direction from which the radiation is incident upon the active region, its path through the device before arriving at the active region will have similar characteristics to the path the radiation takes upon leaving the active region.

Claims

1. A radiation sensor comprising an active semiconductor device fabricated upon a surface of a substrate and a body of semiconductor material positioned adjacent said surface but insulated therefrom by a thin film of insulating material, so as to overlie an active region of the semiconductor device, the body of semiconductor material being dimensioned to circumscribe the active region and an area of the substrate surface surrounding the active region, such that, whatever the direction from which the radiation is incident upon the active region, its path through the device before arriving at the active region will have similar characteristics to the path the radiation takes upon leaving the active region.

2. A radiation sensor according to claim 1, wherein the body and the substrate are formed from semiconductor material having similar characteristics.

3. A radiation sensor according to claim 1, wherein material on opposite sides of the active region to be traversed by the radiation is substantially symmetrical in directions transverse and parallel to the surface of the substrate.

4. A radiation sensor according to claim 1, wherein the body has a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the substrate and the body and the substrate are formed from semiconductor material having similar characteristics.

5. A radiation sensor according to claim 1, wherein the body has width and length significantly greater than width and length of the underlying active region.

6. A radiation sensor according to claim 1, wherein conductors connected to electrodes of the semiconductor device do not extend above or below the active region.

7. A radiation sensor according to claim 1, wherein the radiation sensor comprises at least one insulated gate field effect transistor.

8. A radiation sensor according to claim 1, wherein the radiation sensor comprises a pair of insulated gate field effect transistors.

9. A radiation sensor according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device comprises at least one diode.

10. A dosimeter probe comprising an elongate flexible conductor strip having a radiation sensor at one end, a connector at an opposite end, and a plurality of conductors connecting the radiation sensor to the connector, wherein the radiation sensor comprises an active semiconductor device fabricated upon a surface of a substrate attached to the flexible conductor strip and a body of semiconductor material positioned adjacent said surface but insulated therefrom by a thin film of insulating material, so as to overlie an active region of the semiconductor device, the body of semiconductor material being dimensioned to circumscribe the active region and an area of the substrate surface surrounding the active region, such that, whatever the direction from which the radiation is incident upon the active region, its path through the device before arriving at the active region will have similar characteristics to the path the radiation takes upon leaving the active region.

11. A dosimeter probe according to claim 10, wherein none of the conductors extend beneath the active region.

12. A dosimeter probe according to claim 10, wherein the body and the substrate are formed from semiconductor material having similar characteristics.

13. A dosimeter probe according to claim 10, wherein material on opposite sides of the active region to be traversed by the radiation is substantially symmetrical in directions transverse and parallel to the surface of the substrate.

14. A dosimeter probe according to claim 10, wherein the body has a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the substrate and the body and the substrate are formed from semiconductor material having similar characteristics.

15. A dosimeter probe according to claim 10, wherein the body has width and length significantly greater than width and length of the underlying active region.

16. A dosimeter probe according to claim 10, wherein conductors connected to electrodes of the semiconductor device do not extend above or below the active region.

17. A dosimeter probe according to claim 10, wherein the radiation sensor comprises at least one insulated gate field effect transistor.

18. A dosimeter probe according to claim 10, wherein the radiation sensor comprises a pair of insulated gate field effect transistors.

19. A dosimeter probe according to claim 10, wherein the semiconductor device comprises at least one diode.