The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 18, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 15, 1999
Sorin Marcovici, Lexington, MA (US);
Alexander T. Botka, Underhill, VT (US);
Analogic Corporation, Peabody, MA (US);
Abstract
An X-ray detector used in CT scanner systems includes a 2-D array of scintillator elements coupled to an improved 2-D array of photo-detectors. When coupled together, each scintillator element aligns with a detection side of a corresponding photo-detector. The photo-detector array includes an insulating substrate which houses and secures the photodiodes in a predetermined alignment with the scintillator elements. The insulating substrate is comprised of a bottom piece and a top piece, wherein the bottom piece has circuit paths formed in a mounting surface thereof. The top piece has a top and a bottom surface, includes photo-detector holes for insertion of the photo-detectors, and has a thickness which is greater than the height of the photo-detectors. Additionally, the top piece includes plated conductive holes which extend from the top surface to conductive pads on the bottom surface and conductive paths formed at the top surface which electrically couple the conductive holes to the photo-detector. The top and bottom pieces are coupled together and then the photo-detectors are countersunk within the photo-detector holes, leaving a detection side of each photo-detector exposed. The detection side of each photo-detector is electrically coupled to a corresponding pair of conductive holes, which creates an electrical path from the detection side of the photo-detector to the circuit path of the bottom piece. The array of scintillator elements, including an alignment grid, is then coupled to the photo-detector array to form a 2-D X-ray detector.