Photoconductive element for radiation detection in a radiography imaging system

1. A photoconductive element for a digital X-ray imaging system, the photoconductive element comprising:

a detector element including:

a semiconducting layer for absorbing photons;

at least two detector element electrodes spaced laterally apart; and

an insulator layer having at least a first surface and a second surface wherein the first surface is in contact with the semiconducting layer and the second surface is in contact with the at least two detector element electrodes, the first and second surfaces being distinct from each other; and

a switching element wherein at least one layer within said switching element is in a same plane as either the semiconducting layer or the insulator layer of the detector element;

wherein at least one of the at least two detector element electrodes is transparent.

2. The photoconductive element of claim 1 wherein said detector element further comprises an anti-reflection layer.

3. The photoconductive element of claim 1 wherein said switching element comprises a thin film transistor.

4. The photoconductive element of claim 1 wherein said semiconducting layer is manufactured from at least one of amorphous silicon, omolybdenum sulphide, Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous selenium, mercuric iodide, lead oxide, microcrystalline silicon, nanocrystalline silicon, crystalline silicon, PTCBI, and CuPc.

5. The photoconductive element of claim 1 wherein said insulator layer is manufactured from at least one of amorphous silicon nitride, amorphous silicon oxide, amorphous silicon oxynitride, polyimide, benzocyclobutene (BCB), and polystyrene.

6. The photoconductive element of claim 1 further comprising a scintillating phosphor layer is used to indirectly generate optical photons in response to incident high energy radiation photons.

7. The photoconductive element of claim 1 wherein the at least two detector element electrodes are embedded within the insulator layer.

8. The photoconductive element of claim 1 wherein the at least two detector element electrodes are deposited onto the surface of the insulator layer.

9. A photoconductive element for a digital X-ray imaging system, the photoconductive element comprising:

a detector element including:

a semiconducting layer for absorbing photons;

at least two detector element electrodes spaced laterally apart; and

an insulator layer having at least a first surface and a second surface wherein the first surface is in contact with the semiconducting layer and the second surface is in contact with the at least two detector element electrodes;

wherein the semiconducting layer is not in contact with the at least two detector element electrodes; and

a switching element wherein at least one layer within said switching element is in a same plane as either the semiconducting layer or the insulator layer of the detector element.

10. The photoconductive element of claim 9 wherein said detector element further comprises an anti-reflection layer.

11. The photoconductive element of claim 9 wherein said semiconducting layer is manufactured from at least one of amorphous silicon, molybdenum sulphide, Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous selenium, mercuric iodide, lead oxide, microcrystalline silicon, nanocrystalline silicon, crystalline silicon, PTCBI, and CuPc.

12. The photoconductive element of claim 9 wherein said insulator layer is manufactured from at least one of amorphous silicon nitride, amorphous silicon oxide, amorphous silicon oxynitride, polyimide, benzocyclobutene (BCB), and polystyrene.

13. The photoconductive element of claim 9 further comprising a scintillating phosphor layer is used to indirectly generate optical photons in response to incident high energy radiation photons.

14. A radiography detector system comprising:

a plurality of photoconductive elements, each of the plurality of photoconductive elements including:

a detector element including:

a semiconducting layer for absorbing photons;

at least two detector element electrodes spaced laterally apart; and

an insulator layer having at least a first surface and a second surface

wherein the first surface is in contact with the semiconducting layer and the second surface is in contact with the at least two detector element electrodes, wherein the semiconducting layer is not in contact with the at least two detector element electrodes; and

a switching element wherein at least one layer within said switching element is in a same plane as either the semiconducting layer or the insulator layer of the detector element;

a row switching control driving a plurality of pixel gate lines;

a charge amplifier circuit coupled to a plurality of pixel data lines;

a multiplexer;

a digitizer; and

a control logic circuit.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the detector element further comprises an anti-reflection layer.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the switching element comprises a thin film transistor.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the semiconducting layer of said detector element is manufactured from at least one of amorphous silicon, molybdenum sulphide, IGZO, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous selenium, mercuric iodide, lead oxide, microcrystalline silicon, nanocrystalline silicon, crystalline silicon, PTCBI, and CuPc.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the insulator layer of said detector element is manufactured from at least one of amorphous silicon nitride, amorphous silicon oxide, amorphous silicon oxynitride, polyimide, and polystyrene.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of said electrodes is transparent.

20. The system of claim 14 further comprising a scintillating phosphor layer is used to indirectly generate optical photons in response to incident high energy radiation photons.