# US 10,502,843 B2 · Semiconductor X-ray detector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,843 B2 - Document ID: US10502843B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/866,928 - Filed: 2018-01-10 - Published: 2018-06-07 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-10 - Assignees: Shenzhen Xpectvision Technology Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Shenzhen Xpectvision Technology Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Peiyan Cao; Yurun Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502843B2 ## CPC - G01T 1/247: {Detector read-out circuitry (for processing gain or off-set correction H04N)} - A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]} - G01V 5/222: measuring scattered radiation - G21K 7/00: Gamma- or X-ray microscopes - G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - G21K: HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES ## Abstract Disclosed herein is an apparatus suitable for detecting X-ray, comprising: an X-ray absorption layer comprising an electrode; an electronics layer, the electronics layer comprising: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, an electronics system in or on the substrate, an electric contact on the first surface, a via, and a transmission line on the second surface; wherein the via extends from the first surface to the second surface; wherein the electrode is electrically connected to the electric contact; wherein the electronics system is electrically connected to the electric contact and the transmission line through the via. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus suitable for detecting X-ray, comprising: an X-ray absorption layer comprising an electrode; an electronics layer, the electronics layer comprising: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, an electronics system in or on the substrate, an electric contact on the first surface, a via, and a transmission line on the second surface; wherein the via extends from the first surface to the second surface; wherein the electrode is electrically connected to the electric contact; wherein the electronics system is electrically connected to the electric contact and the transmission line through the via. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronics system comprises: a first voltage comparator configured to compare a voltage of the electrode to a first threshold; a second voltage comparator configured to compare the voltage to a second threshold; a counter configured to register a number of X-ray photons reaching the X-ray absorption layer; a controller; wherein the controller is configured to start a time delay from a time at which the first voltage comparator determines that an absolute value of the voltage equals or exceeds an absolute value of the first threshold; wherein the controller is configured to cause the number registered by the counter to increase by one, if the second voltage comparator determines that an absolute value of the voltage equals or exceeds an absolute value of the second threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a capacitor module electrically connected to the electrode, wherein the capacitor module is configured to collect charge carriers from the electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to activate the second voltage comparator at a beginning or expiration of the time delay. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a voltmeter, wherein the controller is configured to cause the voltmeter to measure the voltage upon expiration of the time delay. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to determine an X-ray photon energy based on a value of the voltage measured upon expiration of the time delay. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to connect the electrode to an electrical ground. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a rate of change of the voltage is substantially zero at expiration of the time delay. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a rate of change of the voltage is substantially non-zero at expiration of the time delay. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the X-ray absorption layer comprises a diode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the X-ray absorption layer comprises silicon, germanium, GaAs, CdTe, CdZnTe, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus does not comprise a scintillator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises an array of pixels. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A system comprising the apparatus of claim 1 and an X-ray source, wherein the system is configured to perform X-ray radiography on human chest or abdomen. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A system comprising the apparatus of claim 1 and an X-ray source, wherein the system is configured to perform X-ray radiography on human mouth. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A cargo scanning or non-intrusive inspection (NII) system, comprising the apparatus of claim 1 and an X-ray source, wherein the cargo scanning or non-intrusive inspection (NII) system is configured to form an image using backscattered X-ray. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A cargo scanning or non-intrusive inspection (NII) system, comprising the apparatus of claim 1 and an X-ray source, wherein the cargo scanning or non-intrusive inspection (NII) system is configured to form an image using X-ray transmitted through an object inspected. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A full-body scanner system comprising the apparatus of claim 1 and an X-ray source. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) system comprising the apparatus of claim 1 and an X-ray source. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) An electron microscope comprising the apparatus of claim 1, an electron source and an electronic optical system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A system comprising the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system is an X-ray telescope, or an X-ray microscopy, or wherein the system is configured to perform mammography, industrial defect detection, microradiography, casting inspection, weld inspection, or digital subtraction angiography. ### Claim 22 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the first voltage comparator at a beginning of the time delay. ### Claim 23 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the second voltage comparator at expiration of the time delay or at a time when the second voltage comparator determines that the absolute value of the voltage equals or exceeds the absolute value of the second threshold, or a time in between. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronics layer further comprises a peripheral circuit arranged on the first surface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronics layer further comprises a peripheral circuit arranged between the first surface and the second surface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) A system comprising a stack of two layers, each layer comprising a plurality of the apparatuses of claim 1 arranged in an array, wherein the arrays of the two layers are staggered relative to one another. ### Claim 27 A method comprising: obtaining an X-ray absorption layer comprising an electrode; obtaining an electronics layer, the electronics layer comprising: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, an electronics system in or on the substrate, an electric contact on the first surface, a via, and a transmission line on the second surface; bonding the X-ray absorption layer and the electronics layer such that the electrode is electrically connected to the electric contact; wherein the via extends from the first surface to the second surface; wherein the electronics system is electrically connected to the electric contact and the transmission line through the via.