Csem Centre Suisse D'electronique Et De Microtechnique Sa

Mesa Imaging Ag

Csem Centre Suisse D'electronique Et De Microtechnique Sa&#x2014;recherche Et D&#xe9;veloppement

Heptagon Micro Optics Pte. Ltd.

Epispeed

Rolf Kaufmann

Michael Lehmann

Peter Seitz

Thierry Oggier

Simon Neukom

Hans Von Känel

Max Erick Busse-Grawitz

Guy Voirin

Christian Kottler

Kaspar Cottier

A pixel is formed in a semiconductor substrate (S) with a plane surface for use in a photodetector. It comprises an active region for converting incident light (In) into charge carriers, photogates (PGL, PGM, PGR) for generating a lateral electric potential (&#x3a6;(x)) across the active region, and an integration gate (IG) for storing charge carriers generated in the active region and a dump site (Ddiff). The pixel further comprises separation-enhancing means (SL) for additionally enhancing charge separation in the active region and charge transport from the active region to the integration gate (IG). The separation-enhancing means (SL) are for instance a shield layer designed such that for a given lateral electric potential (&#x3a6;(x)), the incident light (In) does not impinge on the section from which the charge carriers would not be transported to the integration gate (IG).

Solid-state photodetector pixel and photodetecting method

A device for the sensitive detection of X-rays comprises a structured scintillator screen optically coupled to a semiconductor image sensor. The scintillator screen comprises individual columnar elements covered with material showing high optical reflection. Each columnar element represents a pixel, and light flashes created by an X-ray photon in a scintillating event exit through a short surface of the columnar element for detection with a semiconductor image sensor. The semiconductor image sensor comprises a multitude of photosensor elements, and one or more of these photosensor elements receives light from a scintillator screen pixel. Each photosensor element of the image sensor comprises a semiconductor volume where photocharge is created, a lateral drift-field device for the collection of photocharge, an electronic detection circuit for the conversion of collected photocharge packets either into proportional voltage pulses, into binary signals indicating the arrival of X-ray photons or into digital signals whose values correspond to the energy of the incident X-ray photons.

High-sensitivity X-ray detector

The present invention discloses an X-ray imaging device comprising an X-ray absorber that comprises a plurality of semiconductor layers. The plurality of semiconductor layers comprise a substrate having a backside; and at least one absorption layer adapted to absorb at least one X-ray photon impinging on the at least one absorption layer that is adapted to correspondingly generate in response to the at least one impinging X-ray photon at least one electron-hole pair; and a readout unit, wherein the readout unit is operatively coupled to the X-ray absorber such to enable readout of the at least one electron-hole pair. Additional and alternative embodiments are described and claimed.

X-ray imaging device and method for the manufacturing thereof

The pixel for use in an image sensor comprises a low-doped semiconductor substrate (A). On the substrate (A), an arrangement of a plurality of floating areas, e.g., floating gates (FG-FG), is provided. Neighboring floating gates are electrically isolated from each other yet capacitively coupled to each other. By applying a voltage (V&#x2212;V) to two contact areas (FGFG), a lateral steplike electric field is generated. Photogenerated charge carriers move along the electric-field lines to the point of highest potential energy, where a floating diffusion (D) accumulate the photocharges. The charges accumulated in the various pixels are sequentially read out with a suitable circuit known from image-sensor literature, such as a source follower or a charge amplifier with row and column select mechanisms. The pixel of offers at the same time a large sensing area, a high photocharge-detection sensitivity and a high response speed, without any static current consumption.

Image sensor with large-area, high-sensitivity and high-speed pixels

The present invention discloses an interferometer device and method. In embodiments, the device comprises an electromagnetic radiation source emitting radiation having a first mean wavelength &#x3bb;; a phase grating having a first aspect ratio; an absorption grating having a second aspect ratio; and a detector. The electromagnetic radiation source, the phase grating, the absorption grating and the detector are radiatively coupled with each other. The absorption grating is positioned between the detector and the phase grating; the electromagnetic radiation source is positioned in front of the source grating; and wherein the phase grating is designed such to cause a phase shift that is smaller than &#x3c0; on the emitted radiation. Additional and alternative embodiments are specified and claimed.

Interferometer device and method

The pixel for use in an image sensor comprises a low-doped semiconductor substrate (A). On the substrate (A), an arrangement of a plurality of floating areas e.g., floating gates (FG-FG), is provided. Neighboring floating gates are electrically isolated from each other yet capacitively coupled to each other. By applying a voltage (V-V) to two contact areas (FG, FG), a lateral steplike electric field is generated. Photogenerated charge carriers move along the electric-field lines to the point of highest potential energy, where a floating diffusion (D) accumulate the photocharges. The charges accumulated in the various pixels are sequentially read out with a suitable circuit known from image-sensor literature, such as a source follower or a charge amplifier with row and column select mechanisms. The pixel of offers at the same time a large sensing area, a high photocharge-detection sensitivity and a high response speed without any static current consumption.

The present invention discloses a photon detection device that is adapted to detect at least one packet of photons. The photon detection device may include a photon-sensitive element having an output, an amplifier; and a non-linear feedback (NLF) element. The photon-sensitive element generates charges upon the engagement of at least one photon packet therewith. An increase from a first number of charges in the photon-sensitive element to a second number of charges, results in a corresponding increase of a first reset time required to reset the first number of charges to a respective second reset time required to reset the second number of charges in the photon-sensitive element, whereby the reset time is non-linear to with respect to an increase in the charges. Additional and alternative embodiments are described and claimed.

Growing community of inventors

Zurich, Switzerland

Rolf Kaufmann