Abstract: A radiation converter material includes a semiconductor material used for directly converting radiation quanta into electrical charge carriers. In at least one embodiment, the semiconductor material includes a dopant in a dopant concentration and defect sites produced in a process-dictated manner in such a way that the semiconductor material includes an ohmic resistivity in a range of between 5·107 ?·cm and 2·109 ?·cm. Such a radiation converter material is particularly well matched to the requirements in particular in human-medical applications with regard to the high flux rate present and the spectral distribution of the radiation quanta. In at least one embodiment, the invention additionally relates to a radiation converter and a radiation detector, and a use of and a method for producing such a radiation converter material.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a III-nitride semiconductor substrate having a two-dimensional charge carrier gas at a depth from a main surface of the III-nitride semiconductor substrate. A surface protection layer is provided on the main surface of the III-nitride semiconductor substrate. The surface protection layer has charge traps in a band gap which exist at room temperature operation of the semiconductor device. A contact is provided in electrical connection with the two-dimensional charge carrier gas in the III-nitride semiconductor substrate. A charge protection layer is provided on the surface protection layer. The charge protection layer includes an oxide and shields the surface protection layer under the charge protection layer from radiation with higher energy than the bandgap energy of silicon nitride.

Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor element of a direct-converting x-ray detector is disclosed, wherein at least one intermediate layer is applied to a semiconductor layer and at least one contact layer is applied to an exposed intermediate layer by chemically currentless deposition of a contact material from a solution in each instance. The materials for the individual layers are selected such that the electrochemical potential of the materials of the at least one intermediate layer is greater than the electrochemical potential of at least one element of the semiconductor layer and the electrochemical potential of the contact material of the contract layer is greater than the electrochemical potential of the materials of the intermediate layers. Semiconductor elements produced in accordance with the method, an x-ray detector with semiconductor elements, an x-ray system with an x-ray detector and also a CT system with an x-ray detector are also disclosed.

Abstract: A detector material for a detector is disclosed for use in CT systems, particularly in dual-energy CT systems, including a doped semiconductor. In at least one embodiment, the semiconductor is doped with a donator in a concentration, wherein the concentration of the donator corresponds to at least 50% of the maximum solubility thereof in the semiconductor material, and the donator produces flat imperfections having an excitation energy. The flat imperfections can be ionized and can provide additional freely moveable charge carriers. The freely moveable charge carriers can be captured by the spatially separated deep imperfections and thus reduce the number of the charged deep imperfections. In this way, pure time- and radiation-dependent effects, such as polarization, occur more often. The invention further more relates to the use of the detector material in a CT or dual-energy CT system for generating tomographic images of a test object.

Abstract: A detector element is disclosed, including a semiconducting converter element and a number of pixilated contacts arranged thereon. A radiation detector is also disclosed including such a detector element, along with a medical device having one or more such radiation detectors. Finally, a method for producing a detector element is disclosed, which includes forming pixelated contacts by way of a photolithographic process on the semiconducting converter element using a lithographic mask arranged on a converter element protective layer.

Abstract: An X-ray radiation detector is disclosed for detecting ionizing radiation, in particular for use in a CT system, with a multiplicity of detector elements. In at least one embodiment, each detector element includes a semiconductor used as detector material with an upper side facing the radiation and a lower side facing away from the radiation, at least two electrodes, wherein one electrode is formed on the upper side of the semiconductor by a metallization layer, and the sum of all detector elements forms a base, which has a base normal at each point. In at least one embodiment, the invention is distinguished by the fact that the upper side of the semiconductor has a surface structure with a surface normal at each point, wherein the surface normal at least in part subtends an angle to the base normal.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of the invention relates to an X-ray radiation detector, in particular for use in a CT system. In at least one embodiment, the X-ray radiation detector includes a semiconductor material used for detection, at least two ohmic contacts between the semiconductor material and a contact material, the semiconductor material and contact material each having a specific excitation energy of the charge carriers, with the excitation energy of the contact material corresponding to the excitation energy of the semiconductor material. At least one embodiment of the invention furthermore relates to a CT system in which an X-ray radiation detector is used, the X-ray radiation detector advantageously having at least two ideal ohmic contacts according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for detecting X-ray radiation from an X-ray emitter. In at least one embodiment of the method, an electric pulse with a pulse amplitude characteristic of the energy of a quantum is generated when a quantum of the X-ray radiation impinges on a sensor, wherein a number of threshold energies are predetermined. When the pulse amplitude corresponding to the respective energy is exceeded, a signal is emitted each time the pulse amplitude corresponding to a respective threshold energy is exceeded. At least one embodiment of the method permits reliable and high-quality imaging, even in image regions with high X-ray quanta rates. To this end, at least one of the threshold energies is predetermined such that it is higher than the maximum energy of the X-ray spectrum emitted by the X-ray emitter.

Abstract: An X-ray detector includes a directly converting semiconductor layer for converting an incident radiation into electrical signals with a band gap energy characteristic of the semiconductor layer, and at least one light source for coupling light into the semiconductor layer, wherein the generated light, for the simulation of incident X-ray quanta, has an energy above the band gap energy of the semiconductor layer. One embodiment includes at least one evaluation unit for calculating an evaluation signal from the electrical signals generated when the light is coupled into the semiconductor layer, and at least one calibration unit for calibrating at least one pulse discriminator on the basis of the evaluation signal. This provides the prerequisites for a rapidly repeatable calibration of the X-ray detector taking into account of the present polarization state without using X-ray radiation. Another embodiment additionally relates to a calibration method for such an X-ray detector.

Abstract: A detector element is disclosed with a semi-conductive converter element and metal contacts arranged thereon for at least one anode and at least one cathode, wherein at least one of the metal contacts comprises a contact layer made from a contact material based on precious metal and ruthenium as its mixed component. Moreover, an embodiment of the invention concerns a radiation detector with the detector element with a ruthenium-containing contact layer and, optionally, with an evaluation unit to read out a detector signal, as well as a medical device with the radiation detector. Furthermore, a method for the production of a detector element is described which includes the installation step of a contact material of at least one of the metal contacts on the converter element, wherein the contact material includes a precious metal base with ruthenium as its mixed component.

Abstract: A direct radiation converter is disclosed which includes a radiation detection material having an anode side and a cathode side in which the radiation detection material has a doping profile running in the anode-side to cathode-side direction. A radiation detector is further disclosed having such a direct radiation converter and having an anode array and a cathode array, and optionally having evaluation electronics for reading out a detector signal, as well as a medical apparatus having such a radiation detector. Also described is a method for producing a direct radiation converter which includes incorporating into a radiation detection material a doping profile running in the anode-side to cathode-side direction.

Abstract: A direct radiation converter is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the direct radiation converter is operated using a direct conversion element having a temperature of at least 38° C. and at most 55° C., and designed for detecting X-ray radiation.

Abstract: An X-ray detector includes a directly converting semiconductor layer for converting an incident radiation into electrical signals with a band gap energy characteristic of the semiconductor layer, and at least one light source for coupling light into the semiconductor layer, wherein the generated light, for the simulation of incident X-ray quanta, has an energy above the band gap energy of the semiconductor layer. In at least one embodiment, it includes at least one evaluation unit for calculating an evaluation signal from the electrical signals generated when the light is coupled into the semiconductor layer, and at least one calibration unit for calibrating at least one pulse discriminator on the basis of the evaluation signal. This provides the prerequisites for a rapidly repeatable calibration of the X-ray detector taking account of the present polarization state without using X-ray radiation. At least one embodiment of the invention additionally relates to a calibration method for such an X-ray detector.

Abstract: A detector material for a detector is disclosed for use in CT systems, particularly in dual-energy CT systems, including a doped semiconductor. In at least one embodiment, the semiconductor is doped with a donator in a concentration, wherein the concentration of the donator corresponds to at least 50% of the maximum solubility thereof in the semiconductor material, and the donator produces flat imperfections having an excitation energy. The flat imperfections can be ionized and can provide additional freely moveable charge carriers. The freely moveable charge carriers can be captured by the spatially separated deep imperfections and thus reduce the number of the charged deep imperfections. In this way, pure time- and radiation-dependent effects, such as polarization, occur more often. The invention further more relates to the use of the detector material in a CT or dual-energy CT system for generating tomographic images of a test object.

Abstract: A radiation converter material includes a semiconductor material used for directly converting radiation quanta into electrical charge carriers. In at least one embodiment, the semiconductor material includes a dopant in a dopant concentration and defect sites produced in a process-dictated manner in such a way that the semiconductor material includes an ohmic resistivity in a range of between 5·107 ?·cm and 2·109 ?·cm. Such a radiation converter material is particularly well matched to the requirements in particular in human-medical applications with regard to the high flux rate present and the spectral distribution of the radiation quanta. In at least one embodiment, the invention additionally relates to a radiation converter and a radiation detector, and a use of and a method for producing such a radiation converter material.

Abstract: An X-ray radiation detector is disclosed for detecting ionizing radiation, in particular for use in a CT system, with a multiplicity of detector elements. In at least one embodiment, each detector element includes a semiconductor used as detector material with an upper side facing the radiation and a lower side facing away from the radiation, at least two electrodes, wherein one electrode is formed on the upper side of the semiconductor by a metallization layer, and the sum of all detector elements forms a base, which has a base normal at each point. In at least one embodiment, the invention is distinguished by the fact that the upper side of the semiconductor has a surface structure with a surface normal at each point, wherein the surface normal at least in part subtends an angle to the base normal.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of the invention relates to an X-ray radiation detector, in particular for use in a CT system. In at least one embodiment, the X-ray radiation detector includes a semiconductor material used for detection, at least two ohmic contacts between the semiconductor material and a contact material, the semiconductor material and contact material each having a specific excitation energy of the charge carriers, with the excitation energy of the contact material corresponding to the excitation energy of the semiconductor material. At least one embodiment of the invention furthermore relates to a CT system in which an X-ray radiation detector is used, the X-ray radiation detector advantageously having at least two ideal ohmic contacts according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

Abstract: A direct radiation converter is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the direct radiation converter is operated using a direct conversion element having a temperature of at least 38° C. and at most 55° C., and designed for detecting X-ray radiation.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for detecting X-ray radiation from an X-ray emitter. In at least one embodiment of the method, an electric pulse with a pulse amplitude characteristic of the energy of a quantum is generated when a quantum of the X-ray radiation impinges on a sensor, wherein a number of threshold energies are predetermined. When the pulse amplitude corresponding to the respective energy is exceeded, a signal is emitted each time the pulse amplitude corresponding to a respective threshold energy is exceeded. At least one embodiment of the method permits reliable and high-quality imaging, even in image regions with high X-ray quanta rates. To this end, at least one of the threshold energies is predetermined such that it is higher than the maximum energy of the X-ray spectrum emitted by the X-ray emitter.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a memory cell (160) including a transistor body (150) having a top surface (111) and including a first doping area (10a) and a second doping area (10b) with a channel region (110) in between. The memory cell (160) further includes a gate electrode (3a) arranged above the channel region (110) and separated therefrom by a dielectric layer (2a). An oxide-nitride-oxide layer (66) has first portions (661) and second portions (662). The first portions (661) of the oxide-nitride-oxide layer (66) are arranged above at least parts of the first and second doping areas (10a, 10b) and are substantially parallel to the top surface (111) of the transistor body (150). The second portions (662) of the oxide-nitride-oxide layer (66) are adjacent to the gate electrode (3a) and extend in a direction not substantially parallel to the top surface (111) of the transistor body (150).