Achieving high-resolution in flat-panel imagers for digital radiography

Jeffrey T. Rahn; Francesco Lemmi; Jeng-Ping Lu; Ping Mei; Robert A. Street; Steve E. Ready; Jackson Ho; Raj B. Apte; Koenraad Van Schuylenbergh; Rachel Lau; Richard L. Weisfield; Rene Lujan; James B. Boyce

doi:10.1117/12.368176

6 October 1999 Achieving high-resolution in flat-panel imagers for digital radiography

Jeffrey T. Rahn, Francesco Lemmi, Jeng-Ping Lu, Ping Mei, Robert A. Street, Steve E. Ready, Jackson Ho, Raj B. Apte, Koenraad Van Schuylenbergh, Rachel Lau, Richard L. Weisfield, Rene Lujan, James B. Boyce

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3770, Medical Applications of Penetrating Radiation; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.368176
Event: SPIE's International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1999, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

Amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) matrix-addressed imager sensors are the leading new technology for digital medical x-ray imaging. Large-area systems are now commercially available with good resolution and large dynamic range. These systems image x-rays either by detecting light emission from a phosphor screen onto an a-Si:H photodiode, or by collecting ionization charge in a thick x-ray absorbing photoconductor with as selenium, and both approaches have been widely discussed in the literature. While these systems meet the performance needs for general radiographic imaging, further improvements in sensitivity, noise and resolution are needed to fully satisfy the requirements for fluoroscopy and mammography. The approach taken for this paper uses indirect detection, with a phosphor layer for x-ray conversion. The thin a-Si:H photodiode layer for detects the scintillation light. In contrast with the present generation of devices, which have a mesa-isolated sensor at each pixel, these imagers use a continuous sensor covering the entire front surface of the array. The p⁺ and i layers of a-Si:H are continuous, while the n⁺ contact has been patterned to isolate adjacent pixels. The continuous photodiode layer maximizes light absorption from the phosphor and provides high x-ray conversion efficiency.

Citation Download Citation

Jeffrey T. Rahn, Francesco Lemmi, Jeng-Ping Lu, Ping Mei, Robert A. Street, Steve E. Ready, Jackson Ho, Raj B. Apte, Koenraad Van Schuylenbergh, Rachel Lau, Richard L. Weisfield, Rene Lujan, and James B. Boyce "Achieving high-resolution in flat-panel imagers for digital radiography", Proc. SPIE 3770, Medical Applications of Penetrating Radiation, (6 October 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.368176

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available