Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiation detector comprising: an electronics layer comprising a first set of electric contacts and a second set of electric contacts; a radiation absorption layer configured to absorb radiation; a semiconductor substrate, portions of which extend into the radiation absorption layer in a direction of thickness thereof, the portions forming a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes; wherein the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes are interdigitated; wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a p-n junction that separates first set of electrodes from the second set of electrodes; wherein the electronics layer and the semiconductor substrate are bonded such that the first set of electrodes are electrically connected to the first set of electric contacts and the second set of electrodes are electrically connected to the second set of electric contacts.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising: forming a first electrically conductive layer on a first surface of a substrate of semiconductor, wherein the first electrically conductive layer is in electrical contact with the semiconductor; bonding, at the first electrically conductive layer, a support wafer to the substrate of semiconductor; thinning the substrate of semiconductor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiation detector, comprising: an avalanche photodiode (APD) with a first side coupled to an electrode and configured to work in a linear mode; a capacitor module electrically connected to the electrode and comprising a capacitor, wherein the capacitor module is configured to collect charge carriers from the electrode onto the capacitor; a current sourcing module in parallel to the capacitor, the current sourcing module configured to compensate for a leakage current in the APD and comprising a current source and a modulator; wherein the current source is configured to output a first electrical current and a second electrical current; wherein the modulator is configured to control a ratio of a duration at which the current source outputs the first electrical current to a duration at which the current source outputs the second electrical current.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising an insertion tube; an image sensor inside the insertion tube; wherein the image sensor comprises an array of pixels; wherein the image sensor is configured to count numbers of particles of radiation incident on the pixels, within a period of time. Also disclosed herein is a method of using this apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for making a radiation detector. The method comprises forming a recess into a substrate and forming a semiconductor single crystal in the recess. The semiconductor single crystal may be a cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) single crystal or a cadmium telluride (CdTe) single crystal. The method further comprises forming electrical contacts on the semi conductor single crystal and bonding the substrate to another substrate comprising an electronic system therein or thereon. The electronic system is connected to the electrical contact of the semiconductor single crystal and configured to process an electrical signal generated by the semiconductor single crystal upon absorption of radiation particles.

Abstract: An apparatus suitable for detecting X-ray is disclosed. In one example, the apparatus comprises an X-ray absorption layer and a controller. The X-ray absorption layer comprises a first pixel and a second pixel. The controller is configured for determining whether all carriers generated in the X-ray absorption layer by an X-ray photon are collected by the first pixel and the second pixel, and determining the energy of the X-ray photon based on a sum of a first portion of the carriers that is collected by the first pixel and a second portion of the carriers that is collected by the second pixel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is radiation detector, comprising a first photodiode comprising a first junction; and a first scintillator, wherein a first point in a first plane and inside the first scintillator is essentially completely surrounded in the first plane by an intersection of the first plane and the first junction. The first junction is a p-n junction, a p-i-n junction, a heterojunction, or a Schottky junction. The radiation detector further comprises a first reflector configured to guide essentially all photons emitted by the first scintillator into the first photodiode. The first scintillator is essentially completely enclosed by the first reflector and the first photodiode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is radiation detector, comprising a first photodiode comprising a first junction; and a first scintillator, wherein a first point in a first plane and inside the first scintillator is essentially completely surrounded in the first plane by an intersection of the first plane and the first junction. The first junction is a p-n junction, a p-i-n junction, a heterojunction, or a Schottky junction. The radiation detector further comprises a first reflector configured to guide essentially all photons emitted by the first scintillator into the first photodiode. The first scintillator is essentially completely enclosed by the first reflector and the first photodiode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiation detector comprising: a substrate of an intrinsic semiconductor; a semiconductor single crystal in a recess in the substrate, the semiconductor single crystal having a different composition from the intrinsic semiconductor; a first electrical contact in electrical contact with the semiconductor single crystal; a second electrical contact on or in the substrate, and surrounding the first electrical contact or the semiconductor single crystal, wherein the second electrical contact is electrically isolated from the semiconductor single crystal; wherein the radiation detector is configured to absorb radiation particles incident on the semiconductor single crystal and to generate charge carriers.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image sensor comprising: a plurality of radiation detectors; a mask with a plurality of radiation transmitting zones and a radiation blocking zone; and an actuator configured to move the plurality of radiation detectors from a first position to a second position and to move the mask from a third position to a fourth position; wherein while the radiation detectors are at the first position and the mask is at the third position and while the radiation detectors are at the second position and the mask is at the fourth position, the radiation blocking zone blocks radiation from a radiation source that would otherwise incident on a dead zone of the image sensor and the radiation transmitting zones allow at least a portion of radiation from the radiation source that would incident on active areas of the image sensor to pass through.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiation detector comprising: an electronics layer comprising a first set of electric contacts and a second set of electric contacts; a radiation absorption layer configured to absorb radiation; a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes, wherein the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes are interdigitated and extend into the radiation absorption layer in a direction of thickness thereof; wherein the electronics layer and the radiation absorption layer are bonded such that the first set of electrodes are electrically connected to the first set of electric contacts and the second set of electrodes are electrically connected to the second set of electric contacts.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiation detector comprising: a layer of quantum dots configured to emit a pulse of visible light upon absorbing a radiation particle; an electronic system configured to detect the radiation particle by detecting the pulse of visible light.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiation detector comprising: an electronics layer comprising a first set of electric contacts and a second set of electric contacts; a radiation absorption layer configured to absorb radiation; a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes, wherein the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes are interdigitated and extend into the radiation absorption layer in a direction of thickness thereof; wherein the electronics layer and the radiation absorption layer are bonded such that the first set of electrodes are electrically connected to the first set of electric contacts and the second set of electrodes are electrically connected to the second set of electric contacts.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method, comprising: exposing an image sensor to a scene; measuring, as analog signals, intensities of light from the scene by a plurality of pixels of the image sensor; converting the analog signals to digital signals; and determining a total intensity of light of the scene by calculating a sum of the digital signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and a method of making the apparatus. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of semiconductor single crystal chunks. Each of the plurality of semiconductor single crystal chunks may have a first surface and a second surface. The second surface may be opposite to the first surface. The method may further comprise bonding the plurality of semiconductor single crystal chunks by respective first surfaces to a first semiconductor wafer. The plurality of semiconductor single crystal chunks forming a radiation absorption layer. The method may further comprise forming a plurality of electrodes on respective second surfaces of each of the plurality of semiconductor single crystal chunks, depositing pillars on each of the plurality of semiconductor single crystal chunks and bonding the plurality of semiconductor single crystal chunks to a second semiconductor wafer by the pillars.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for making an apparatus suitable for detecting X-ray, the method comprising: obtaining a wafer and a substrate; wherein the substrate comprises an X-ray absorption layer comprising a first plurality of electrical contacts; wherein the wafer has multiple dies and comprises an electronic layer comprising a second plurality of electrical contacts and an electronic system configured to process or interpret signals generated by X-ray photons incident on the X-ray absorption layer; aligning the first plurality of electrical contacts to the second plurality of electrical contacts; mounting the wafer to the substrate such that the first plurality of electrical contacts are electrically connected to the second plurality of electrical contacts; wherein the substrate further comprises a transmission line electrically bridging at least some of the dies; wherein the second plurality of electrical contacts are configured to feed the signals to the electronic system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a detector having a pixel in a substrate and configured to detect radiation particles incident thereon; a first guard ring in the substrate, surrounding the pixel, and comprising a first doped semiconductor region in the substrate and a first electrically conductive layer in electrical contact to the first doped semiconductor region; a second guard ring in the substrate, surrounding the first guard ring, and comprising a second doped semiconductor region in the substrate and a second electrically conductive layer in electrical contact to the second doped semiconductor region. The first electrically conductive layer overhangs the first doped semiconductor region toward an interior of the first guard ring by a greater extent than the second electrically conductive layer overhangs the second doped semiconductor region toward an interior of the second guard ring.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus suitable for detecting x-ray, comprising: an X-ray absorption layer configured to generate an electrical signal from an X-ray photon incident on the X-ray absorption layer; an electronics layer comprising an electronics system configured to process or interpret the electrical signal; wherein at least one of the X-ray absorption layer and the electronics layer is embedded in a board of an electrically insulating material.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an X-ray detector comprises: an X-ray absorption layer configured to absorb X-ray photons; an electronics layer comprising an electronics system configured to process or interpret signals generated by the X-ray photons incident on the X-ray absorption layer; and a temperature driver in the X-ray absorption layer or the electronics layer.

Abstract: A method of making an apparatus suitable for detecting X-ray is disclosed. In an example, the method includes: obtaining a semiconductor substrate with a first electrical contact on a first surface and a second electrical contact on a second surface opposite the first surface, the second electrical contact comprising a plurality of discrete portions; forming a plurality of trenches extending into at least 70% of a thickness of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the plurality of trenches encircle each of the discrete portions.