Abstract: Disclosed herein is system comprising: a radiation source; an image sensor; wherein the image sensor comprises a first radiation detector and a second radiation detector, respectively comprising a planar surface configured to receive radiation from the radiation source; wherein the planar surface of the first radiation detector and the planar surface of the second radiation detector are not parallel; wherein the first radiation detector and the second radiation detector are configured to move to a plurality of positions relative to the radiation source; wherein the image sensor is configured to capture, by using the first radiation detector and the second radiation detector and with the radiation, images of portions of a scene at the positions respectively, and configured to form an image of the scene by stitching the images of the portions; wherein the system is configured to rotate relative to the scene about a third axis.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an imaging system, comprising an image sensor which comprises (a) a top surface, (b) M active areas on the top surface, M being an integer greater than 0, and (c) a dead zone on the top surface and between the M active areas such that no one active area of the M active areas is in direct physical contact with another active area of the M active areas; and a radiation source system which comprises N radiation sources, N being an integer greater than 1, wherein, in response to an object being placed between the image sensor and the radiation source system, the imaging system is configured to sequentially turn on then off the N radiation sources resulting in M×N images in the M active areas, and wherein each point of the object is captured in at least one image of the M×N images.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, which comprises a plurality of processing units. Each of the processing units comprises a first oscillator, a second oscillator, and a counter. Each of the processing units is configured to receive a first input and a second input and to send an output as a function of the first input and the second input. The function has a plurality of parameters. Each of the processing units is configured to receive and send values of the parameters. The system can be used together with a microprocessor to perform parallel computing.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus suitable for light scanning. The apparatus comprises a light source and a photonic crystal. The light source is configured to direct a light beam along an optical axis toward the photonic crystal. The photonic crystal is configured to direct the light beam along a direction at an angle relative to the optical axis. The angle is a function of wavelength of the light beam. The apparatus may also comprise a partial toroid lens configured to diverge the light beam received from the photonic crystal. The light source of the apparatus may be configured to change the wavelength continuously across a range of wavelengths.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus suitable for detecting an image, comprising: a plurality of pixels configured to generate an electric signal upon exposure to a radiation; an electronics system associated with each of the pixels, wherein the electronics system comprises a first memory on a first signal path and a second memory on a second signal path, both signal paths being between an input terminal and an output terminal of the electronics system; wherein each of the first memory and the second memory is configured to store the electric signal generated by the pixel the electronics system is associated with, configured to store the electric signal generated in another pixel, and configured to transmit the electric signal stored in the electronics system to another pixel; wherein the electronics system comprises a switch configured to select one of the signal paths.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiation detector comprising: a scintillator configured to emit a second radiation upon receiving a first radiation from a pulsed radiation source, a plurality of pixels, and a controller; wherein each pixel is configured to detect the second radiation; wherein the pulsed radiation source is configured to emit the first radiation during a plurality of ON periods and configured not to emit the first radiation during a plurality of OFF periods; wherein the controller is configured to determine that the pulsed radiation source is at one of the ON periods or at one of the OFF periods; wherein the controller is configured to cause the pixels to integrate signals or not to integrate signals with determination that the radiation source is at one of the ON periods or at one of the OFF periods.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image sensor comprising: a first package comprising a plurality of radiation detectors mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB); wherein a dead zone of the first package does not extend between neighboring radiation detectors among the plurality of radiation detectors; wherein the radiation detectors have no guard rings or sidewall doping.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: an array of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) or an absorption region comprising a semiconductor single crystal such as a CdZnTe single crystal or a CdTe single crystal. The apparatus may be configured to absorb radiation particles incident on an absorption region of the APDs or the semiconductor single crystal and to generate charge carriers. The apparatus may comprise an electrode comprising silver nanoparticles and being electrically connected to the absorption region of the APDs or the semiconductor single crystal. For the APDs, each of the APDs may comprise an amplification region, which may comprise a junction with an electric field in the junction. The electric field may be at a value sufficient to cause an avalanche of charge carriers entering the amplification region, but not sufficient to make the avalanche self-sustaining. The junctions of the APDs may be discrete.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: an array of avalanche photodiodes (APDs), each of the APDs comprising an absorption region and an amplification region; wherein the absorption region is configured to generate charge carriers from a photon absorbed by the absorption region; wherein the absorption region comprises a silicon epitaxial layer; wherein the amplification region comprises a junction with an electric field in the junction; wherein the electric field is at a value sufficient to cause an avalanche of charge carriers entering the amplification region, but not sufficient to make the avalanche self-sustaining; wherein the junctions of the APDs are discrete.

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 method comprising: causing emission of characteristic X-rays of a chemical element introduced into a human body; capturing images of a portion of the human body with the characteristic X-rays; determining a three-dimensional distribution of the chemical element in the portion based on the images.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiation detector system, comprising a radiation detector, the radiation detector comprising a semiconductor substrate and a pixel array in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the pixel array comprises (a) M first-row pixels, and (b) N second-row pixels, both M and N being positive integers and greater than 1, and wherein each pixel of the N second-row pixels is larger than any pixel of the M first-row pixels in a radiation direction perpendicular to a straight line segment having a first end in a first-row end pixel of the M first-row pixels and a second end in a second-row end pixel of the M first-row pixels.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a detector, comprising: a pixel comprising a first subpixel and a second subpixel, wherein the first subpixel is configured to generate a first electrical signal upon exposure to radiation, and wherein the second subpixel is configured to generate a second electrical signal upon exposure to the radiation; wherein the detector is configured to determine a number of particles of the radiation incident on the first subpixel over a first period of time, based on the first electrical signal; wherein the detector is configured to determine an intensity of the radiation by integrating the second electrical signal over a second period of time.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a detector, comprising: a plurality of pixels, each pixel configured to count numbers of X-ray photons incident thereon whose energy falls in a plurality of bins, within a period of time; an X-ray absorption layer; wherein the X-ray absorption layer comprises an electrical contact within each of the pixels, and a focusing electrode surrounding the electrical contact and configured to direct to the electrical contact charge carriers generated by an X-ray photon incident within confines of the focusing electrodes; and wherein the detector is configured to add the numbers of X-ray photons for the bins of the same energy range counted by all the pixels.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method suitable for detecting X-ray are disclosed. In one example, the apparatus comprises: an X-ray absorption layer and a mask; wherein the mask comprises a first window and a second window, and a portion between the first window and the second window; wherein the first and second windows are not opaque to an incident X-ray; wherein the portion is opaque to the incident X-ray; and wherein the first and second windows are arranged such that charge carriers generated in the X-ray absorption layer by an X-ray photon propagating through the first window and charge carriers generated in the X-ray absorption layer by an X-ray photon propagating through the second window do not spatially overlap.

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 an apparatus comprising: an insertion tube configured to be inserted into a human; an image sensor inside the insertion tube; wherein the image sensor is configured to move to a plurality of positions with respect to the insertion tube.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of packaging a semiconductor X-ray detector. The methods may include bonding chips including an X-ray absorption layer or including both an X-ray absorption layer and an electronic layer onto another support such as an interposer substrate or a printed circuit board.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a backscatter X-ray system comprising: an X-ray source configured to scan a sheet of X-ray across an object, wherein the sheet of X-ray illuminates one line on a surface of the object; a sensor configured to differentiate backscattered X-ray from different spots along the line.

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.