IP Library Granted Patent US 9,515,106
Granted Patent B2
US 9,515,106 · App. 14/537,711 · Granted Dec 6, 2016

Radiation imaging device with metal-insulator-semiconductor photodetector and thin film transistor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,515,106
App. No.
14/537,711
Granted
Dec 6, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photosensor pixel includes a thin film transistor (TFT) and a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) photodetector. The TFT includes a gate, a gate insulator layer, a semiconductor layer forming a channel region, a drain, and a source. The MIS photodetector includes a transparent conductor layer, a semiconductor layer including a photosensitive semiconductor, and an insulator layer between the transparent conductor layer and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer of the MIS photodetector is connected to the source or the drain of the TFT, and the thickness of the insulator layer of the MIS photodetector is less than the thickness of the gate insulator layer of the TFT.

Claims (22)

1. A photosensor pixel comprising:

a thin film transistor (TFT), the TFT comprising:

a gate;

a gate insulator layer;

a semiconductor layer forming a channel region;

a drain; and

a source; and

a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) photodetector, the MIS photodetector comprising:

a transparent conductor layer;

a semiconductor layer including a photosensitive semiconductor; and

an insulator layer between the transparent conductor layer and the semiconductor layer,

wherein

the semiconductor layer of the MIS photodetector is electrically connected to the source or the drain of the TFT, and

the thickness of the insulator layer of the MIS photodetector is less than the thickness of the gate insulator layer of the TFT.

2. The photosensor pixel of claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate, wherein the TFT and the MIS photodetector are on the substrate, and the semiconductor layer of the MIS photodetector is between the substrate and the insulator layer of the MIS photodetector.

3. The photosensor pixel of claim 2 , wherein the semiconductor layer of the TFT is between the substrate and the gate insulator layer of the TFT.

4. The photosensor pixel of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer of the TFT and the semiconductor layer of the MIS comprise amorphous silicon (a-Si), poly silicon, or amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide alloy.

5. A photo-imaging device comprising a plurality of photosensor pixels according to claim 1 .

6. A radiation imaging device comprising:

a photo-imaging device according to claim 5 ; and

a scintillation material optically coupled to the photo-imaging device and configured to convert incident radiation to photons, wherein the energy of the radiation is greater than the energy of the photons.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2017
From: PERKINELMER HOLDINGS, INC.
To: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042506/0542 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 11, 2014
From: TAGHIBAKHSH, FARHAD
To: PERKINELMER HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 034149/0443 →