Device Sensitive To Very Short Wavelength (e.g., X-ray, Gamma-ray, Or Corpuscular Radiation) (epo) Patents (Class 257/E31.086)
  • Patent number: 11955423
    Abstract: Methods for forming dummy under-bump metallurgy structures and semiconductor devices formed by the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first redistribution line and a second redistribution line over a semiconductor substrate; a first passivation layer over the first redistribution line and the second redistribution line; a second passivation layer over the first passivation layer; a first under-bump metallurgy (UBM) structure over the first redistribution line, the first UBM structure extending through the first passivation layer and the second passivation layer and being electrically coupled to the first redistribution line; and a second UBM structure over the second redistribution line, the second UBM structure extending through the second passivation layer, the second UBM structure being electrically isolated from the second redistribution line by the first passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ting-Li Yang, Po-Hao Tsai, Ming-Da Cheng, Yung-Han Chuang, Hsueh-Sheng Wang
  • Patent number: 11914083
    Abstract: This dosimeter comprises: a transducer material capable, when it is excited by a secondary ionizing radiation, of generating photons or electric charges, an amplifying layer capable, in response to its excitation by the primary ionizing radiation, of generating the secondary ionizing radiation. This amplifying layer comprises a first and a second amplifying sublayer stacked on top of one another. The first and the second amplifying sublayers are composed of at least 70%, by weight, respectively, of at least one first and one second material, the atomic numbers of which are greater than or equal to 29. The atomic number of the first material being less than the atomic number of the second material. The first sublayer is interposed between the second sublayer and the transducer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITÉ D'AIX-MARSEILLE, INSTITUT JEAN PAOLI & IRENE CALMETTES CENTRE REGIONAL DE LUTTE CONTRE LE CANCER
    Inventors: Sree Bash Chandra Debnath, Julien Darreon, Carole Fauquet, Didier Tonneau, Agnès Tallet
  • Patent number: 11821886
    Abstract: A system for detecting the concentration of metal particles of at least one first material, which includes a detector with: a semiconductor body including a cathode region, delimited by a front surface; and an anode structure made of metal material, which extends over a part of the cathode region, leaving part of the front surface exposed. The anode structure and the part of the cathode region form a first contact of a Schottky type. The exposed part of the front surface can access the metal particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Massimo Cataldo Mazzillo, Antonella Sciuto
  • Patent number: 11808901
    Abstract: A nuclear reaction detection device 100 includes a semiconductor memory 100 arranged in an environment in which radiation is incident, a position information storage unit 210 that stores spatial position information of a semiconductor element in the semiconductor memory 100, a bit position specifying unit 220 that detects that an SEU (Single Event Upset) has occurred in the semiconductor element included in the semiconductor memory 100, and specifies the semiconductor element in which the SEU has occurred, and a position calculating unit 230 that calculates a spatial position in which the SEU has occurred, based on the specified semiconductor element and the spatial position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignees: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, National University Corporation Hokkaido University, National University Corporation Tokai National Higher Education and Research System
    Inventors: Hidenori Iwashita, Gentaro Funatsu, Michihiro Furusaka, Takashi Kamiyama, Hirotaka Sato, Yoshiaki Kiyanagi
  • Patent number: 11668845
    Abstract: A wide band gap semiconductor NAND based neutron detection system includes a semiconductor layer comprising a wide band gap material with a neutron absorber material in the wide band gap material, and the semiconductor layer is the only layer of the wide band gap semiconductor NAND based neutron detection system fabricated with the neutron absorber material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Robert Preston, Ashley C. Stowe
  • Patent number: 11372119
    Abstract: A chip-to-chip integration process for rapid prototyping of silicon avalanche photodiode (APD) arrays has been developed. This process has several advantages over wafer-level 3D integration, including: (1) reduced cost per development cycle since a dedicated full-wafer read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) fabrication is not needed, (2) compatibility with ROICs made in previous fabrication runs, and (3) accelerated schedule. The process provides several advantages over previous processes for chip-to-chip integration, including: (1) shorter processing time as the chips can be diced, bump-bonded, and then thinned at the chip-level faster than in a wafer-level back-illumination process, and (2) the CMOS substrate provides mechanical support for the APD device, allowing integration of fast microlenses directly on the APD back surface. This approach yields APDs with low dark count rates (DCRs) and higher radiation tolerance for harsh environments and can be extended to large arrays of APDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Brian F. Aull, Joseph S. Ciampi, Renee D. Lambert, Christopher Leitz, Karl Alexander McIntosh, Steven Rabe, Kevin Ryu, Daniel R. Schuette, David Volfson
  • Patent number: 8779371
    Abstract: A radiation detector is provided with a scintillator 2A containing a plurality of modified regions 21 and a plurality of photodetectors or a position-sensitive photodetector optically coupled to a surface of the scintillator 2A. The plurality of modified regions 21 are formed by irradiating an inside of a crystalline lump which will act as the scintillator 2A with a laser beam and three-dimensionally dotted and have a refractive index different from a refractive index of a surrounding region within the inside of the scintillator 2A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Takahiro Moriya, Takaji Yamashita, Makoto Kakegawa
  • Patent number: 8729652
    Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor device (11) for radiation detection, which comprises a substrate region (1) of a substrate semiconductor material, such as silicon, and a detection region (3) at a surface of the semiconductor device (11), in which detection region (3) charge carriers of a first conductivity type, such as electrons, are generated and detected upon incidence of electromagnetic radiation (L) on the semiconductor device (11). The semiconductor device (11) further comprises a barrier region (2,5,14) of a barrier semiconductor material or an isolation material, which barrier region (2,5,14) is an obstacle between the substrate region (1) and the detection region (3) for charge carriers that are generated in the substrate region (1) by penetration of ionizing radiation (X), such as X-rays, into the substrate region (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Trixell
    Inventors: Anco Heringa, Erik Jan Lous, Wibo Daniel Van Noort, Wilhelmus Cornelis Maria Peters, Joost Willem Christiaan Veltkamp
  • Patent number: 8501573
    Abstract: An X-ray image sensor having scintillating material embedded into wave-guide structures fabricated in a CMOS image sensor (CIS). After the CIS has been fabricated, openings (deep pores) are formed in the back side of the CIS wafer. These openings terminate at a distance of about 1 to 5 microns below the upper silicon surface of the wafer. The depth of these openings can be controlled by stopping on a buried insulating layer, or by stopping on an epitaxial silicon layer having a distinctive doping concentration. The openings are aligned with corresponding photodiodes of the CIS. The openings may have a shape that narrows as approaching the photodiodes. A thin layer of a reflective material may be formed on the sidewalls of the openings, thereby improving the efficiency of the resulting waveguide structures. Scintillating material (e.g., CsI(Tl)) is introduced into the openings using a ForceFill™ technology or by mechanical pressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Tower Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Yakov Roizin, Amos Fenigstein, Avi Strum, Alexey Heiman, Doron Pardess
  • Patent number: 8482108
    Abstract: A wafer-scale x-ray detector and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The wafer-scale x-ray detector includes: a seamless silicon substrate electrically connected to a printed circuit substrate; a chip array having a plurality of pixel pads formed on a central region thereof and a plurality of pin pads formed at edges thereof on the seamless silicon substrate; a plurality of pixel electrodes formed to correspond to the pixel pads; vertical wirings and horizontal wirings formed to compensate a difference of regions expanded towards the pixel electrodes from the pixel pads between the chip array and the pixel electrodes; a redistribution layer having an insulating layer to separate the vertical wirings and the horizontal wirings; and a photoconductor layer and a common electrode which cover the pixel electrodes on the redistribution layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jae-chul Park, Chang-jung Kim, Sang-wook Kim, Sun-il Kim
  • Publication number: 20130134315
    Abstract: A method and device include a conductive base layer, a semiconducting layer supported by and electrically coupled to the base layer, the semiconductor layer have integrated gadolinium nanoparticles presenting a high cross section to neutron particles, and a conductive top layer electrically coupled to the semiconductor layer, wherein the base layer and top layer are disposed to collect current from electrons resulting from neutron interactions with the gadolinium nanoparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew S. Marcus
  • Patent number: 8441001
    Abstract: A flat organic photodetector has a structured first electrode that forms several sub-electrodes, a second electrode, at least one first organic layer, and a second organic layer. The organic layers are situated between the two electrodes and are structured in conformity with the structuring of the first electrode, so that the two organic layers are subdivided into multiple active regions respectively corresponding to the sub-electrodes of the first electrode. An x-ray detector has such a flat organic photodetector and an x-ray absorbing layer applied thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jens Fürst, Debora Henseler, Georg Wittmann
  • Patent number: 8421172
    Abstract: A large area SDD detector having linear anodes surrounded by steering electrodes and having an oblong, circular, hexagonal, or rectangular shape. The detectors feature stop rings having a junction on the irradiation side and an ohmic contact on the anode side and/or irradiation side. The irradiation and anode stop ring biasing configuration influences the leakage current flowing to the anode and, hence, the overall efficiency of the active area of the detector. A gettering process is also described for creation of the disclosed SDD detectors. The SDD detector may utilize a segmented configuration having multiple anode segments and kick electrodes for reduction of the detector's surface electric field. In another embodiment, a number of strip-like anodes are linked together to form an interdigitated SDD detector for use with neutron detection. Further described is a wraparound structure for use with Ge detectors to minimize capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Canberra Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Massimo Morichi, Olivier Evrard, Marijke Keters, Frazier Bronson, Mathieu Morelle, Paul Burger
  • Publication number: 20130049147
    Abstract: A bonded wafer structure having a handle wafer, a device wafer, and an interface region with an abrupt transition between the conductivity profile of the device wafer and the handle wafer is used for making semiconductor devices. The improved doping profile of the bonded wafer structure is well suited for use in the manufacture of integrated circuits. The bonded wafer structure is especially suited for making radiation-hardened integrated circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Aeroflex Colorado Springs Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Kerwin, Joseph M. Benedetto
  • Publication number: 20130026586
    Abstract: An antenna is provided. This antenna is contained within a package that is secured to an IC (which allows radiation to propagated away for a printed circuit board so as to reduce interference), and this antenna includes two loop antennas that are shorted to ground and that “overlap” and includes a “via wall.” With this configuration, circular polarization can be achieved by varying the relative phases of the input signals, and the “via wall” improves efficiency by reducing surface waves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Eunyoung Seok, Srinath Ramaswamy, Brian P. Ginsburg, Vijay B. Rentala, Baher Haroun
  • Patent number: 8314468
    Abstract: A silicon drift detector (SDD) comprising electrically isolated rings. The rings can be individually biased doped rings. One embodiment includes an SDD with a single doped ring. Some of the doped rings may not require a bias voltage. Some of the rings can be field plate rings. The field plate rings may all use the same biasing voltage as a single outer doped ring. The ring widths can vary such that the outermost ring is widest and the ring widths decrease with each subsequent ring towards the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Moxtek, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Hullinger, Hideharu Matsuura, Kazuo Taniguchi, Tadashi Utaka
  • Patent number: 8310021
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a neutron detector comprises forming a first wafer by at least forming an oxide layer on a substrate, forming an active semiconductor layer on the oxide layer, and forming an interconnect layer on the active semiconductor layer, forming at least one electrically conductive pathway extending from the interconnect layer through the active semiconductor layer and the oxide layer, forming a circuit transfer bond between the interconnect layer and a second wafer, removing the substrate of the first wafer after forming the circuit transfer bond, depositing a bond pad on the oxide layer after removing the substrate of the first wafer, wherein the bond pad is electrically connected to the electrically conductive pathway, depositing a barrier layer on the oxide layer after removing the substrate of the first wafer, and depositing a neutron conversion layer on the barrier layer after depositing the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley J. Larsen, Todd A. Randazzo
  • Publication number: 20120186637
    Abstract: A power converter comprises a nuclear radiation emitter having a first side and a second side, wherein the nuclear radiation emitter comprises a radiation-emitting radioisotope, a plurality of semiconductor substrates disposed over the first side of the nuclear radiation emitter, wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor substrates comprises a junction for converting nuclear radiation particles to electrical energy, and at least one high-density layer, wherein the high density layer has a density that is higher than a density of the semiconductor substrates, and wherein the high-density layer is disposed between two of the plurality of semiconductor substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: MEDTRONIC, INC.
    Inventor: Geoffrey D. Batchelder
  • Publication number: 20120187305
    Abstract: A multi-component tunable resistive coating and methods of depositing the coating on the surfaces of a microchannel plate (MCP) detector. The resistive coating composed of a plurality of alternating layers of a metal oxide resistive component layer and a conductive component layer composed of at least one of a metal, a metal nitride and a metal sulfide. The coating may further include an emissive layer configured to produce a secondary electron emission in response to a particle interacting with the MCP and a neutron-absorbing layer configured to respond to a neutron interacting with the MCP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane, Qing Peng
  • Publication number: 20120161266
    Abstract: Radiation detectors can be made of n-type or p-type silicon. All segmented detectors on p-type silicon and double-sided detectors on n-type silicon require an “inter-segment isolation” to separate the n-type strips from each other; an alumina layer for isolating the strip detectors is applied, and forms negative charges at the silicon interface with appropriate densities. When alumina dielectric is deposited on silicon, the negative interface charge acts like an effective p-stop or p-spray barrier because electrons are “pushed” away from the interface due to the negative interface charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicants: Counsel
    Inventors: Marc Christophersen, Bernard F. Phlips
  • Publication number: 20120161265
    Abstract: Provided is a surface contamination monitor that comprises a hand and foot contamination monitor that can be relocated to an inspection site in a simple manner. A surface contamination monitor has a folding mechanism that allows folding a monitor main body, and comprises a base (1) whose top face is provided with radiation detection elements (10) for measurement of a foot portion, a support column (2) provided at a center of a far side of the top face of the base (1), and an upper unit (3), which is fixed to a top end portion of the support column (2), and on which there are provided radiation detection elements (10) for measurement of a hand portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihito Hora, Takeshi Ishikura, Satoshi Takano, Daisuke Inui
  • Publication number: 20120133009
    Abstract: There has been such a problem that radiation detecting elements using semiconductor elements have a low radiation detection efficiency, since the radiation detecting elements easily transmit radiation, even though the radiation detecting elements have merits, such as small dimensions and light weight. Disclosed are a radiation detecting element and a radiation detecting device, wherein a film formed of a metal, such as tungsten, is formed on the radiation incident surface of the radiation detecting element, and the incident energy of the radiation is attenuated. The efficiency of generating carriers by way of radiation incidence is improved by attenuating the incident energy, the thickness of the metal film is optimized, and the radiation detection efficiency is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventor: Takehisa Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20120122267
    Abstract: A vertically-integrated image sensor is proposed with the performance characteristics of single crystal silicon but with the area coverage and cost of arrays fabricated on glass. The image sensor can include a backplane array having readout elements implemented in silicon-on-glass, a frontplane array of photosensitive elements vertically integrated above the backplane, and an interconnect layer disposed between the backplane array and the image sensing array. Since large area silicon-on-glass backplanes are formed by tiling thin single-crystal silicon layers cleaved from a thick silicon wafer side-by-side on large area glass gaps between the tiled silicon backplane would normally result in gaps in the image captured by the array. Therefore, embodiments further propose that the pixel pitch in both horizontal and vertical directions of the frontplane be larger than the pixel pitch of the backplane, with the pixel pitch difference being sufficient that the frontplane bridges the gap between backplane tiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventor: Timothy J. Tredwell
  • Patent number: 8158449
    Abstract: A structure and a method for operating the same. The method includes providing a detecting structure which includes N detectors. N is a positive integer. A fabrication step is simultaneously performed on the detecting structure and M product structures in a fabrication tool resulting in a particle-emitting layer on the detecting structure. The detecting structure is different than the M product structures. The M product structures are identical. M is a positive integer. An impact of emitting particles from the particle-emitting layer on the detecting structure is analyzed after said performing is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cyril Cabral, Jr., Michael S. Gordon, Jeff McMurray, Liesl M. McMurray, legal representative, Cristina Plettner, Paul Andrew Ronsheim
  • Publication number: 20120056287
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an ionizing radiation detection device having a block of a semiconductor material adapted to undergo local separations of charges between positive and negative charges under the effect of ionizing radiation. The device including a first series of at least two collecting electrodes formed on the surface of the semiconductor block, and a second series of at least two non-collecting electrodes formed on a support and separated from the semiconductor block by an insulating layer. During processing, after forming the insulating layer on the support so as to cover the non-collecting electrodes, the block of semiconductor material bearing the collecting electrodes and the support bearing the non-collecting electrodes and the insulating layer are assembled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Olivier MONNET, Guillaume MONTEMONT, Loick VERGER, Marie-Claude GENTET
  • Publication number: 20120043632
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating three-dimentional PIN structures having conformal electrodes are provided, as well as the structures themselves. The structures include a first layer and an array of pillars with cavity regions between the pillars. A first end of each pillar is in contact with the first layer. A segment is formed on the second end of each pillar. The cavity regions are filled with a fill material, which may be a functional material such as a neutron sensitive material. The fill material covers each segment. A portion of the fill material is etched back to produce an exposed portion of the segment. A first electrode is deposited onto the fill material and each exposed segment, thereby forming a conductive layer that provides a common contact to each the exposed segment. A second electrode is deposited onto the first layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Nikolic, Adam M. Conway, Robert T. Graff, Catherine Reinhardt, Lars F. Voss, Qinghui Shao
  • Publication number: 20120043633
    Abstract: According to a radiation detector of this invention, a common electrode for bias voltage application and a lead wire for bias voltage supply are connected through a conductive plate as a planarly formed plate interposed therebetween. Since the conductive plate is connected instead of connecting the lead wire directly onto the common electrode, it can prevent damage to a radiation sensitive semiconductor and avoid performance degradation. Since the conductive plate is formed planarly, even if a conductive paste with high resistance is used, connection resistance can be lowered to be comparable to the use of silver paste. That is, the range of selection of the conductive paste is broadened. Also, connection can be made without using an insulating seat and performance degradation can be avoided. As a result, performance degradation can be avoided, without using an insulating seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Junichi Suzuki, Kenji Sato, Hidetoshi Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20120012957
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a neutron detector comprises forming a first wafer by at least forming an oxide layer on a substrate, forming an active semiconductor layer on the oxide layer, and forming an interconnect layer on the active semiconductor layer, forming at least one electrically conductive pathway extending from the interconnect layer through the active semiconductor layer and the oxide layer, forming a circuit transfer bond between the interconnect layer and a second wafer, removing the substrate of the first wafer after forming the circuit transfer bond, depositing a bond pad on the oxide layer after removing the substrate of the first wafer, wherein the bond pad is electrically connected to the electrically conductive pathway, depositing a barrier layer on the oxide layer after removing the substrate of the first wafer, and depositing a neutron conversion layer on the barrier layer after depositing the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Bradley J. Larsen, Todd A. Randazzo
  • Patent number: 8093095
    Abstract: Device and method of forming a device in which a substrate (10) is fabricated with at least part of an electronic circuit for processing signals. A bulk single crystal material (14) is formed on the substrate, either directly on the substrate (10) or with an intervening thin film layer or transition region (12). A particular application of the device is for a radiation detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Kromek Limited
    Inventors: Arnab Basu, Max Robinson, Ben Cantwell, Andy Brinkman
  • Patent number: 8093671
    Abstract: Device and method of forming a device in which a substrate (10) is fabricated with at least part of an electronic circuit for processing signals. A bulk single crystal material (14) is formed on the substrate, either directly on the substrate (10) or with an intervening thin film layer or transition region (12). A particular application of the device is for a radiation detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Kromek Limited
    Inventors: Arnab Basu, Max Robinson, Benjamin John Cantwell, Andy Brinkman
  • Publication number: 20120001282
    Abstract: A radiation detector of a compact size and producing almost no image defect is disclosed, comprising a first radiation-transmissive substrate, a first adhesive layer, a second radiation-transmissive substrate, a scintillator layer and an output substrate provided with a photoelectric conversion element layer which are provided sequentially in this order, wherein an arrangement region of the scintillator layer in a planar direction of the layer includes an arrangement region of the photoelectric conversion element layer in a planar direction of the layer and an arrangement region of the first substrate in a planar direction of the substrate, and the arrangement region of the first substrate includes the arrangement region of the photoelectric conversion element layer; and when the arrangement region of the scintillator layer is divided to plural areas, a coefficient of variation of filling factor is 20% or less which is defined as a standard deviation of filling factor of phosphor of the plural areas, divided
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Narito Goto, Mitsuru Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20110316105
    Abstract: A PIN diode-based monolithic Nuclear Event Detector and method of manufacturing same for use in detecting a desired level of gamma radiation, in which a PIN diode is integrated with signal processing circuitry, for example CMOS circuitry, in a single thin-film Silicon On Insulator (SOI) chip. The PIN diode is implemented in either a p-, intrinsic, or n-substrate layer. The signal processing circuitry is located in a thin semiconductor layer and is in electrical communication with the PIN diode. The PIN diode may be integrated with the signal processing circuitry onto a single chip, or may be fabricated stand alone using SOI methods according to the method of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sanders, Nicolaas W. Van Vonno, Clyde Combs, Glenn T. Hess
  • Publication number: 20110272589
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel hybrid anode configuration for a radiation detector that effectively reduces the edge effect of surface defects on the internal electric field in compound semiconductor detectors by focusing the internal electric field of the detector and redirecting drifting carriers away from the side surfaces of the semiconductor toward the collection electrode(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Ge Yang, Aleksey E. Bolotnikov, Giuseppe Camarda, Yonggang Cui, Anwar Hossain, Ki Hyun Kim, Ralph B. James
  • Patent number: 8044476
    Abstract: A radiation detector comprising a II-VI compound semiconductor substrate that absorbs radiation having a first energy, a II-VI compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type provided on a main surface of the II-VI compound semiconductor substrate, a metal layer containing at least one of a group III element and a group V element provided on the II-VI compound semiconductor layer, a IV semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type provided on the metal layer, and a IV semiconductor substrate that absorbs radiation having a second energy different from the first energy provided on the IV semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: National University Corporation Shizuoka University
    Inventors: Yoshinori Hatanaka, Toru Aoki
  • Publication number: 20110248366
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a radiation-detecting device including spaced first columnar scintillators, second columnar scintillators which are located between the neighboring first columnar scintillators and which are spaced from the first columnar scintillators, and photodetecting elements overlapping with the first columnar scintillators includes a step of preparing the substrate such that the substrate has a surface having an uneven section having protruding portions and a plurality of spaced flat sections surrounded by the uneven section and also includes a step of forming the first columnar scintillators and the second columnar scintillators on the flat sections and the protruding portions, respectively, by depositing a scintillator material on the substrate having the uneven section and the flat sections. The uneven section has recessed portions and satisfies the following inequality: h/d?1 where h is the depth of each recessed portion and d is the distance between the protruding portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Saito, Ryoko Horie, Nobuhiro Yasui, Toru Den
  • Publication number: 20110248176
    Abstract: A detection apparatus comprising a substrate; a switching element arranged over the substrate and including a plurality of electrodes; a conductive line arranged over the substrate and electrically connected to a first electrode of the plurality of electrodes of the switching element; and a conversion element including a semiconductor layer arranged over the switching element and the conductive line and arranged between two electrodes, one electrode of the two electrodes being electrically connected to a second electrode of the plurality of electrodes of the switching element, is provided. The one electrode of the conversion element is arranged over the switching element and the conductive line through a space formed between the one electrode and the first electrode of the switching element or between the one electrode and the conductive line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi
  • Publication number: 20110233420
    Abstract: A neutron detector includes a microchannel plate having a structure that defines a plurality of microchannels, and layers of materials disposed on walls of the microchannels. The layers include a layer of neutron sensitive material, a layer of semiconducting material, and a layer of electron emissive material. For example, the layer of neutron sensitive material can include boron-10, lithium-6, or gadolinium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: W. Bruce Feller, Paul L. White
  • Patent number: 7994593
    Abstract: A solid-state field-effect transistor device for detecting chemical and biological species and for detecting changes in radiation is disclosed. The device includes a quantum wire channel section to improve device sensitivity. The device is operated in a fully depleted mode such that a sensed biological, chemical or radiation change causes an exponential change in channel conductance of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: The Arizona Board of Regents
    Inventors: Bharath R. Takulapalli, Gerard Laws, John Devens Gust, Jr., Trevor Thornton
  • Publication number: 20110180890
    Abstract: A method of producing a radiographic image detector includes: preparing a thin-film transistor substrate comprising an insulating substrate and a thin-film transistor that is disposed on a surface of the insulating substrate at a first side; attaching, to the thin-film transistor substrate, a protective member comprising a protective member support and an adhesive layer that includes conductive particles and that is disposed on the protective member support, such that the adhesive layer and a surface of the thin-film transistor substrate at the first side contact each other; polishing a surface of the thin-film transistor substrate at a second side opposite to the first side, after the attaching of the protective member; separating and removing the protective member from the thin-film transistor substrate after the polishing; and providing a scintillator layer on a surface of the thin-film transistor substrate at the first side, after the removing of the protective member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiichiro SATO
  • Publication number: 20110163242
    Abstract: Room temperature operating solid state hand held neutron detectors integrate one or more relatively thin layers of a high neutron interaction cross-section element or materials with semiconductor detectors. The high neutron interaction cross-section element (e.g., Gd, B or Li) or materials comprising at least one high neutron interaction cross-section element can be in the form of unstructured layers or micro- or nano-structured arrays. Such architecture provides high efficiency neutron detector devices by capturing substantially more carriers produced from high energy ?-particles or ?-photons generated by neutron interaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Samuel S. Mao, Dale L. Perry
  • Publication number: 20110127527
    Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) neutron detector comprising a silicon-on-insulator structure, wherein the silicon-on-insulator structure consists of an active semiconductor layer, a buried layer, and a handle substrate, a lateral carrier transport and collection detector structure within the active semiconductor layer of the silicon-on-insulator structure, and a neutron to high energy particle converter layer on the active semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Francis J. Kub, Bernard F. Phlips, Karl D. Hobart, Eric A. Wulf
  • Publication number: 20110121192
    Abstract: A radiation detector is provided with a scintillator 2A containing a plurality of modified regions 21 and a plurality of photodetectors or a position-sensitive photodetector optically coupled to a surface of the scintillator 2A. The plurality of modified regions 21 are formed by irradiating an inside of a crystalline lump which will act as the scintillator 2A with a laser beam and three-dimensionally dotted and have a refractive index different from a refractive index of a surrounding region within the inside of the scintillator 2A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Takahiro Moriya, Takaji Yamashita, Makoto Kakegawa
  • Publication number: 20110079728
    Abstract: A radiation detector is disclosed. The detector has an entrance opening etched through a low-resistivity volume of silicon, a sensitive volume of high-resistivity silicon for converting the radiation particles into detectable charges, and a passivation layer between the low and high-resistivity silicon layers. The detector also has electrodes built in the form of vertical channels for collecting the charges generated in the sensitive volume, and read-out electronics for generating signals based on the collected charges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicants: FinPhys Oy, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
    Inventors: Francisco Garcia, Risto Orava, Manuel Lozano, Giulio Pellegrini
  • Publication number: 20110079791
    Abstract: High aspect ratio micromachined structures in semiconductors are used to improve power density in Betavoltaic cells by providing large surface areas in a small volume. A radioactive beta-emitting material may be placed within gaps between the structures to provide fuel for a cell. The pillars may be formed of SiC. In one embodiment, SiC pillars are formed of n-type SiC. P type dopant, such as boron is obtained by annealing a borosilicate glass boron source formed on the SiC. The glass is then removed. In further embodiments, a dopant may be implanted, coated by glass, and then annealed. The doping results in shallow planar junctions in SiC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: MVS Chandrashekhar, Christopher Ian Thomas, Michael G. Spencer
  • Publication number: 20110079729
    Abstract: A photodetector for detecting megavoltage (MV) radiation comprises a semiconductor conversion layer having a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite the first surface, a first electrode coupled to the first surface, a second electrode coupled to the second surface, and a low density substrate including a detector array coupled to the second electrode opposite the semiconductor conversion layer. The photodetector includes a sufficient thickness of a high density material to create a sufficient number of photoelectrons from incident MV radiation, so that the photoelectrons can be received by the conversion layer and converted to a sufficient of recharge carriers for detection by the detector array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Larry Dean Partain, George Zentai
  • Publication number: 20110049379
    Abstract: A neutron detector, or array of neutron detectors, and method for fabricating same, having active region comprised of inorganic materials such as semiconductors and/or small particles and/or molecules. The detector active region is comprised of a layer or multi-layer heterojunction structure such as p-n junction wherein at least one layer comprises a composite of host semiconductor material in which neutron sensitizing guest material is distributed in all directions throughout the host semiconductor. This composite layer contains neutron capturing atoms such as 10B, 6Li, 157Gd, 235U, 239Pu, 51V , and 103Rh. The semiconductor host and other semiconductor layers transports carriers excited as a result of neutron absorption in the detector active region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventor: Daniel Moses
  • Patent number: 7884438
    Abstract: A photodetector for detecting megavoltage (MV) radiation comprises a semiconductor conversion layer having a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite the first surface, a first electrode coupled to the first surface, a second electrode coupled to the second surface, and a low density substrate including a detector array coupled to the second electrode opposite the semiconductor conversion layer. The photodetector includes a sufficient thickness of a high density material to create a sufficient number of photoelectrons from incident MV radiation, so that the photoelectrons can be received by the conversion layer and converted to a sufficient of recharge carriers for detection by the detector array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Dean Partain, George Zentai
  • Publication number: 20110006204
    Abstract: A detector array and method for making the detector array. The detector array includes a substrate including a plurality of trenches formed therein, and a plurality of collectors electrically isolated from each other, formed on the walls of the trenches, and configured to collect charged particles incident on respective ones of the collectors and to output from the collectors signals indicative of charged particle collection. In the detector array, adjacent ones of the plurality of trenches are disposed in a staggered configuration relative to one another. The method forms in a substrate a plurality of trenches across a surface of the substrate such that adjacent ones of the trenches are in a staggered sequence relative to one another, forms in the plurality of trenches a plurality of collectors, and connects a plurality of electrodes respectively to the collectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Christopher A. Bower, Kristin Hedgepath Gilchrist, Brian R. Stoner
  • Patent number: 7812355
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a semiconductor element capable of reducing a cost and improving a throughput with a minute structure, and further, a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal television and an EL television. According to one feature of the invention, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: forming a light absorption layer over a substrate, forming a first region over the light absorption layer by using a solution, generating heat by irradiating the light absorption layer with laser light, and forming a first film pattern by heating the first region with the heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroko Shiroguchi, Yoshiaki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20100219494
    Abstract: One embodiment of a radiation sensing capacitor is presented. The radiation sensing capacitor may include a silicon layer and an insulator layer coupled to the silicon layer. The radiation sensing capacitor may also include a silicon-insulator interface region coupling the silicon layer to the insulator layer and a plurality of hole-trapping precursors formed in the insulator layer proximate to the silicon-insulator interface region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventor: Hugh J. Barnaby