Use of Surface Patterning for Fabricating a Single Die Direct Capture Dental X-ray Imaging Sensor

Abstract

A device and process in which a single continuous depositional layer of a polycrystalline photoactive material is deposited on an integrated charge storage, amplification, and readout circuit with an irregular surface wherein the polycrystalline photoactive material is comprised of a II-VI semiconductor compound or alloys of II-VI compounds.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprised of an integrated charge storage, amplification, and readout circuit serving as a depositional substrate with an irregular surface; and a polycrystalline photoactive material deposited as a single continuous depositional layer on top of the irregular surface; wherein the polycrystalline photoactive material is comprised of a II-VI semiconductor compound or alloys of II-VI compounds and the irregular surface is comprised of variations in elevation; wherein the polycrystalline photoactive material has a thickness sufficient to provide quantum efficiency and spatial resolution based upon photo-electrical properties of the polycrystalline photoactive material. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the integrated charge storage, amplification, and readout circuit is a thin film array. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the integrated charge storage, amplification, and readout circuit is silicon-based. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the II-VI semiconductor compound is selected from the group consisting of CdTe, Hg x Cd (1-x) Te, and Zn x Cd (1-x) Te. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the II-VI semiconductor compound is CdTe. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the thickness is greater than 10 microns. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the thickness is 100 to 300 microns. 
     
     
         8 . A process, comprising depositing a single continuous depositional layer of a polycrystalline photoactive material on an integrated charge storage, amplification, and readout circuit exhibiting an irregular surface;
 wherein the polycrystalline photoactive material is comprised of a II-VI semiconductor compound or alloys of II-VI compounds, the irregular surface is comprised of variations in elevation and single continuous depositional layer has a thickness sufficient to provide quantum efficiency and spatial resolution based upon photo-electrical properties of the polycrystalline photoactive material.   
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the II-VI semiconductor compound is CdTe and the thickness is greater than 10 microns. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the thickness is 100 to 300 microns. 
     
     
         11 . A sensor useful for detecting X-ray photons comprised of:
 a silicon-based single die, charge storage, amplification, and readout pixel array integrated circuit serving as a depositional substrate with a surface exhibiting an irregular surface of a prescribed size; and   a polycrystalline photoactive material deposited as a single continuous depositional layer on top of the integrated charge storage, amplification, and readout circuit;   wherein the irregular surface is comprised of a non-planar surface with two or more elevations at a minimum difference of at least approximately 0.1 micron and a maximum difference of approximately 100 microns while the prescribed size has a distance of at least approximately 1 micron; and   wherein the polycrystalline photoactive material is selected from the group consisting of CdTe, Hg x Cd (1-x) Te, and Zn x Cd (1-x) Te; and wherein the single continuous depositional layer has a total surface area which exceeds 500 square millimeters; and   wherein the single continuous depositional layer has a thickness sufficient to provide quantum efficiency and spatial resolution based upon photo-electrical properties of the polycrystalline photoactive material   
     
     
         12 . The sensor of  claim 11  wherein the II-VI semiconductor compound is CdTe and the thickness is greater than 10 microns. 
     
     
         13 . The sensor of  claim 12  wherein the thickness is 100 to 300 microns.