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US5164809A
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Amorphous silicon radiation detectors
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1989-04-21
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Granted: 1992-11-17
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Expires: 2009-04-21
Abstract
Abstract Hydrogenated amorphous silicon radiation detector devices having enhanced signal are disclosed. Specifically provided are transversely oriented electrode layers and layered detector configurations of amorphous silicon, the structure of which allow high electric fields upon application of a bias thereby beneficially resulting in a reduction in noise from contact injection and an increase in signal including avalanche multiplication and gain of the signal produced by incoming high energy radiation. These enhanced radiation sensitive devices can be used as measuring and detection means for visible light, low energy photons and high energy ionizing particles such as electrons, x-rays, alpha particles, beta particles and gamma radiation. Particular utility of the device is disclosed for precision powder crystallography and biological identification.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A. Street
- 👤 Victor Perez-Mendez
- 👤 Selig N. Kaplan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:00
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F30/00; H10F30/20; H10F30/21; H10F30/29; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F77/00; H10F77/20; H10F77/206
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
Apparatus for detection of incident radiation, the apparatus comprising: a substrate; an a-Si:H film, having a low particle trap density, deposited on the substrate at a first surface of the film and having a second film surface spaced apart from the first film surface; a first electrode, positioned at an interface between the substrate and the a-Si:H film and including a plurality of two or more electrode strips oriented approximately parallel to one another in a first direction, with each electrode strip of the first electrode having a first width W 1 ; a second electrode, positioned in the interior of the a-Si:H film and including a plurality of two or more electrode strips oriented approximately parallel to one another in a second direction, with each electrode strip of the second electrode having a second width W 2 ; a third electrode, positioned at the second surface of the a-Si:H film and including a plurality of two or more electrode strips oriented approximately parallel to one another in a third direction, where the first, second and third directions are all parallel to a common plane and at least one of the first direction and the third direction is approximately parallel to the second direction, and where at least one of the width ratios W 2 /W 1 and W 2 /W 3 is much smaller than 1; voltage source means for imposing a voltage difference V 12 between the first and second electrodes and for imposing a voltage difference V 32 between the third and second electrodes; and collection means for collecting and sensing electrons and holes produced in the a-Si:H film by the incident radiation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
276 words
Apparatus for detection of incident radiation, the apparatus comprising: a substrate; an a-Si:H film, having a low particle trap density, deposited on the substrate at a first surface of the film and having a second film surface spaced apart from the first film surface; a first electrode, positioned at an interface between the substrate and the a-Si:H film and including a plurality of two or more electrode strips oriented approximately parallel to one another in a first direction, with each electrode strip of the first electrode having a first width W 1 ; a second electrode, positioned in the interior of the a-Si:H film and including a plurality of two or more electrode strips oriented approximately parallel to one another in a second direction, with each electrode strip of the second electrode having a second width W 2 ; a third electrode, positioned at the second surface of the a-Si:H film and including a plurality of two or more electrode strips oriented approximately parallel to one another in a third direction, where the first, second and third directions are all parallel to a common plane and at least one of the first direction and the third direction is approximately parallel to the second direction, and where at least one of the width ratios W 2 /W 1 and W 2 /W 3 is much smaller than 1; voltage source means for imposing a voltage difference V 12 between the first and second electrodes and for imposing a voltage difference V 32 between the third and second electrodes; and collection means for collecting and sensing electrons and holes produced in the a-Si:H film by the incident radiation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said a-Si:H film includes a-Ge:H in an amount up to 20 percent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a film of CsI positioned between said a-Si:H film and said incident radiation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for detection of incident radiation, the apparatus comprising: a substrate; a first electrode deposited on the substrate; an a-Si:H film deposited on the first electrode at a first surface of the film and including an electrical field enhancement region therein that, upon application of an electrical bias, produces an electrical field of strength to an extent that a signal gain is produced by electron-hole pairs generated by the incident radiation without an excessive increase in noise, with the a-Si:H film including a plurality of at least five consecutive monolithic layers, numbered k=1,2,3,4,5, with layers number 1,3 and 5 being intrinsic type, with one of the layers number 2 and 4 being doped p conductivity type, and with one of the layers number 2 and 4 being doped n conductivity type; a second electrode deposited on a second surface of the film; and bias means to impress an electrical bias between at least one of the first and second electrodes and the electrical field enhancement region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for detection of incident radiation, the apparatus comprising: a substrate; a first electrode deposited on the substrate; an a-Si:H film deposited on the first electrode at a first surface of the film and including an electrical field enhancement region therein that, upon application of an electrical bias, produces an electrical field of strength to an extent that a signal gain is produced by electron-hole pairs generated by the incident radiation without an excessive increase in noise, with the a-Si:H film including a plurality of at least five consecutive monolithic layers, numbered k=1,2,3,4,5, with layers number 1,3 and 5 being intrinsic type, with one of the layers number 2 and 4 being doped p conductivity type, and with one of the layers number 2 and 4 being doped n conductivity type; a second electrode deposited on a second surface of the film; and bias means to impress an electrical bias between at least one of the first and second electrodes and the electrical field enhancement region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
172 words
Apparatus for detection of incident radiation, the apparatus comprising: a substrate; a first electrode deposited on the substrate; an a-Si:H film deposited on the first electrode at a first surface of the film and including an electrical field enhancement region therein that, upon application of an electrical bias, produces an electrical field of strength to an extent that a signal gain is produced by electron-hole pairs generated by the incident radiation without an excessive increase in noise, with the a-Si:H film including a plurality of at least five consecutive monolithic layers, numbered k=1,2,3,4,5, with layers number 2 and 4 being intrinsic type, with the layers number 1 and 3 being doped a first electrical conductivity type, and with layer number 5 being doped a second electrical conductivity type that is opposite to the first electrical conductivity type; a second electrode deposited on a second surface of the film; and bias means to impress an electrical bias between at least one of the first and second electrodes and the electrical field enhancement region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
172 words
Apparatus for detection of incident radiation, the apparatus comprising: a substrate; a first electrode deposited on the substrate; an a-Si:H film deposited on the first electrode at a first surface of the film and including an electrical field enhancement region therein that, upon application of an electrical bias, produces an electrical field of strength to an extent that a signal gain is produced by electron-hole pairs generated by the incident radiation without an excessive increase in noise, with the a-Si:H film including a plurality of at least five consecutive monolithic layers, numbered k=1,2,3,4,5, with layers number 2 and 4 being intrinsic type, with the layers number 1 and 3 being doped a first electrical conductivity type, and with layer number 5 being doped a second electrical conductivity type that is opposite to the first electrical conductivity type; a second electrode deposited on a second surface of the film; and bias means to impress an electrical bias between at least one of the first and second electrodes and the electrical field enhancement region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the respective conductivity types of said five consecutive layers is p type, intrinsic type, p type, intrinsic type and n type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the respective conductivity types of said five consecutive layers is p type, intrinsic type, n type, intrinsic type and n type.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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