IP Library Granted Patent US 11,269,091
Granted Patent B2
US 11,269,091 · App. 16/392,376 · Granted Mar 8, 2022

Threshold voltage stabilizing system and method

Inventors: Richard Weisfield (Los Gatos, CA); Kungang Zhou (Saratoga, CA)
Assignee: Varex Imaging Corporation
G01T1/247H01L27/14612H01L27/14658H01L29/7869H04N5/32
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,269,091
App. No.
16/392,376
Granted
Mar 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some embodiments include a system, comprising: first circuit including a transistor having an optically sensitive threshold voltage; a light source configured to illuminate the transistor; and a control circuit configured to activate the light source based on the threshold voltage. In some embodiments, a threshold voltage of the transistor may be stabilized.

Claims (65)

1. A system, comprising:

a first circuit including a transistor having an optically sensitive threshold voltage;

a light source configured to illuminate the transistor; and

a control circuit configured to activate the light source based on the threshold voltage while the transistor is in an off state.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the transistor is a probe transistor of a probe pixel;

the first circuit comprises an integrated circuit including the probe transistor and a plurality of pixel transistors; and

the control circuit is configured to operate the probe transistor and the pixel transistors with the same control voltages.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the transistor is one of a plurality of transistors of a detector; and

the control circuit is configured to:

apply a test voltage to the transistors;

measure an output of the detector in response to the test voltage; and

activate the light source based on the output of the detector.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the transistor is one of a plurality of transistors of a detector; and

the control circuit is configured to:

apply a test voltage to the transistors; and

measure image lag of the detector in response to the test voltage; and

activate the light source based on the image lag.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the control circuit is configured to:

periodically activate the light source; and

at least one of:

disable the light source in response to the threshold voltage;

change an intensity of the light source in response to the threshold voltage; and

omit an activation of the light source in response to the threshold voltage.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the transistor includes a gate having a material that is transparent to light of the light source.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the transistor is disposed on a first side of an integrated circuit; and

the light source is configured to illuminate a second side of the integrated circuit opposite to the first side.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the integrated circuit is part of an x-ray detector.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the transistor is part of a pixel of an x-ray detector; and

the transistor is an indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) transistor.

10. A method, comprising:

generating a signal based on a threshold voltage of at least one transistor of a circuit;

illuminating the at least one transistor by a light source separate from the at least one transistor in response to the signal; and

turning off the at least one transistor while illuminating the at least one transistor in response to the signal.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating the signal based on the threshold voltage of the at least one transistor comprises measuring the threshold voltage of the at least one transistor.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the at least on transistor comprises a plurality of transistors of a detector; and

generating the signal based on the threshold voltage of the at least one transistor comprises:

applying a test voltage to the transistors;

generating an output of the detector in response to the test voltage; and

generating the signal based on the output of the detector.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the at least on transistor comprises a plurality of transistors of a detector; and

generating the signal based on the threshold voltage of the at least one transistor comprises:

applying a test voltage to the transistors;

measuring an image lag of the detector in response to the test voltage; and

generating the signal based on an image lag.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

repeating the generating of the signal and the illuminating of the at least one transistor until the signal indicates that the threshold voltage has passed a threshold.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the at least on transistor is disposed on a substrate with a plurality of transistors of a detector; and

illuminating the at least one transistor in response to the signal comprises illuminating the transistors of the detector.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising applying the same control signals to the at least on transistor as applied to at least one of the transistors of the detector.

17. A system, comprising:

a circuit including at least one transistor having an optically sensitive threshold voltage;

means for generating a signal based on the threshold voltage of the at least one transistor;

means for illuminating the at least one transistor in response to the signal; and

means for turning off the at least one transistor while illuminating the at least one transistor in response to the signal.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 13, 2026
From: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
To: ZIONS BANCORPORATION, N.A. DBA ZIONS FIRST NATIONAL BANK
Reel/Frame 075080/0934 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 13, 2026
From: ZIONS BANCORPORATION, N.A. DBA ZIONS FIRST NATIONAL BANK
To: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 075081/0623 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2024
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066950/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2024
From: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
To: ZIONS BANCORPORATION, N.A. DBA ZIONS FIRST NATIONAL BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 066949/0657 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2020
From: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 054240/0123 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2020
From: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 053945/0137 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2019
From: WEISFIELD, RICHARD, MR; ZHOU, KUNGANG, MR.
To: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048987/0384 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2019
From: WEISFIELD, RICHARD, MR.
To: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048986/0895 →