Biasing and readout methods for high-speed resistive gate sensor

An X-ray detector comprising:

• a gate oxide layer;
• and
• a plurality of polycrystalline silicon resistive gates, wherein the plurality of polycrystalline silicon resistive gates are formed in the gate oxide layer, wherein the plurality of polycrystalline silicon resistive gates comprise:
• heavily doped polycrystalline silicon, wherein the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon is one of an n-type semiconductor or a p-type semiconductor, wherein the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon is heavily doped with a plurality of atoms, wherein the plurality of atoms comprise one of donor atoms or acceptor atoms, wherein the plurality of atoms saturate a plurality of carrier traps of the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon;
• wherein the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon is ion-implanted with an electrically inactive species, wherein the electrically inactive species comprises one of carbon or nitrogen, wherein the electrically inactive species define a first ion-implanted region and a second ion-implanted region, wherein the first ion-implanted region is implanted with a higher concentration of the electrically inactive species than the second ion-implanted region, wherein a first resistivity of the first ion-implanted region is higher than a second resistivity of the second ion-implanted region;
• wherein the X-ray detector is configured to generate an image data signal in response to detecting at least one X-ray photon.

A scanning electron microscope comprising:

• an electron source configured to generate an electron beam;
• an electron optical system configured to focus the electron beam and scan the electron beam over a sample;
• and
• at least one X-ray detector comprising:
• a gate oxide layer;
• and
• a plurality of polycrystalline silicon resistive gates, wherein the plurality of polycrystalline silicon resistive gates are formed in the gate oxide layer, wherein the plurality of polycrystalline silicon resistive gates comprise:
• heavily doped polycrystalline silicon, wherein the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon is one of an n-type semiconductor or a p-type semiconductor, wherein the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon is heavily doped with a plurality of atoms, wherein the plurality of atoms comprise one of donor atoms or acceptor atoms, wherein the plurality of atoms saturate a plurality of carrier traps of the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon;
• wherein the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon is ion-implanted with an electrically inactive species, wherein the electrically inactive species comprises one of carbon or nitrogen, wherein the electrically inactive species define a first ion-implanted region and a second ion-implanted region, wherein the first ion-implanted region is implanted with a higher concentration of the electrically inactive species than the second ion-implanted region, wherein a first resistivity of the first ion-implanted region is higher than a second resistivity of the second ion-implanted region;
• wherein the at least one X-ray detector is configured to generate an image data signal in response to detecting at least one X-ray photon generated from the sample resulting from exposure to the electron beam.

A method comprising:

• depositing a polycrystalline silicon film on a gate oxide layer;
• heavily doping the polycrystalline silicon film with a plurality of atoms to form a heavily doped polycrystalline silicon, wherein the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon is one of an n-type semiconductor or a p-type semiconductor, wherein the plurality of atoms comprise one of donor atoms or acceptor atoms, wherein the plurality of atoms saturate a plurality of carrier traps of the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon;
• ion-implanting the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon with an electrically inactive species, wherein the electrically inactive species comprises one of carbon or nitrogen;
• and
• annealing the heavily doped polycrystalline silicon after ion-implantation to form a polycrystalline silicon resistive gate, wherein the electrically inactive species define a first ion-implanted region and a second ion-implanted region, wherein the first ion-implanted region is implanted with a higher concentration of the electrically inactive species than the second ion-implanted region, wherein a first resistivity of the first ion-implanted region is higher than a second resistivity of the second ion-implanted region.