# US 2014/0191218 A1 · X-ray-sensitive devices and systems using organic pn junction photodiodes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191218 A1 - Document ID: US20140191218A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/149,561 - Filed: 2014-01-07 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-07 - Assignees: Beck Radiological Innovations Inc; The Johns Hopkins University - Applicants: Beck Radiological Innovations Inc; The Johns Hopkins University - Inventors: Howard E. Katz; Hoyoul Kong; Thomas J. Beck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191218A1 ## CPC - H10K 39/36: Devices specially adapted for detecting X-ray radiation - G01T 1/2018: {Scintillation-photodiode combinations} - H10K 77/111: {Flexible substrates} - H10K 2102/103: {comprising indium oxides, e.g. ITO} - Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - 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) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An x-ray detector includes a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, an organic p-type semiconducting layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, and an organic n-type semiconducting layer disposed between the first and second electrodes and in contact with the organic p-type semiconducting layer to form a pn-junction layer therebetween. At least one of the organic p-type semiconducting layer or the organic n-type semiconducting layer includes an x-ray absorbing material blended therein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An x-ray detector, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; an organic p-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes; and an organic n-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes and in contact with said organic p-type semiconducting layer to form a pn-junction layer therebetween, wherein at least one of said organic p-type semiconducting layer or said organic n-type semiconducting layer comprises an x-ray absorbing material blended therein. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An x-ray detector according to claim 1, wherein said x-ray absorbing material comprises an atomic element having an atomic number greater than about 34 that increases an average atomic number of at least one of said organic p-type semiconducting layer or said organic n-type semiconducting layer to improve x-ray absorption. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An x-ray detector according to claim 1, wherein said x-ray absorbing material comprises metal particles in elemental form. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An x-ray detector according to claim 3, wherein said metal particles comprise at least one of tin, antimony, indium, tungsten, tantalum, bismuth, lead, or any alloys thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An x-ray detector according to claim 1, wherein said x-ray absorbing material comprises particles comprising compounds of elements with atomic numbers greater than 30 to enhance x-ray absorption. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An x-ray detector according to claim 5, wherein said compounds of elements with atomic numbers greater than 30 comprise at least one of cesium, barium, iodine, cadmium, tin, antimony, cerium, indium, tungsten, tantalum, bismuth, lead, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) An x-ray detector according to claim 5, wherein said compounds of elements with atomic numbers greater than 30 comprise at least one of bismuth oxide, tungsten oxide, cerium oxide, tantalum oxide, barium sulfate, cesium iodide, lead sulfate, bismuth telluride, bismuth selenide, lead telluride, lead selenide, lead sulfide, mercury telluride, mercury sulfide, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An x-ray detector according to claim 1, wherein said x-ray absorbing material comprises semiconducting particles comprising an atomic element with an atomic number of at least 30 to enhance x-ray absorption. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An x-ray detector according to claim 8, wherein said semiconducting particles comprise at least one of lead iodide, bismuth telluride, cadmium telluride, cadmium zinc telluride, mercuric iodide, bismuth selenide, lead telluride, lead selenide, lead sulfide, mercury telluride, mercury sulfide, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 10 An x-ray detector, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; an organic p-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes; an organic n-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes and in contact with said organic p-type semiconducting layer to form a pn-junction layer therebetween; and an x-ray absorbing layer disposed proximate at least one of said organic p-type semiconducting layer or said organic n-type semiconducting layer such that secondary electrons produced in said x-ray absorbing layer in response to absorbed x-rays excite at least one of said organic p-type semiconducting layer or said organic n-type semiconducting layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An x-ray detector according to claim 10, wherein said x-ray absorbing layer comprises a material comprising an atomic element having an atomic number greater than about 30 to enhance x-ray absorption. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An x-ray detector according to claim 11, wherein said material of said x-ray absorbing layer comprises metal particles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) An x-ray detector according to claim 11, wherein said material of said x-ray absorbing layer comprises a compound comprising said atomic element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) An x-ray detector according to claim 11, wherein said material of said x-ray absorbing layer comprises semiconducting particles. ### Claim 15 An x-ray imaging system, comprising an array of x-ray detector elements, wherein at least one x-ray detector element of said array of x-ray detector elements comprises: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; an organic p-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes; and an organic n-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes and in contact with said organic p-type semiconducting layer to form a pn-junction layer therebetween, wherein at least one of said organic p-type semiconducting layer or said organic n-type semiconducting layer comprises an x-ray absorbing material blended therein. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 15, wherein said x-ray absorbing material comprises an atomic element having an atomic number greater than about 34 that increases an average atomic number of at least one of said organic p-type semiconducting layer or said organic n-type semiconducting layer to improve x-ray absorption. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 15, wherein said x-ray absorbing material comprises metal particles in elemental form. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 17, wherein said metal particles comprise at least one of tin, antimony, indium, tungsten, tantalum, bismuth, lead, or any alloys thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 15, wherein said x-ray absorbing material comprises particles comprising compounds of elements with atomic numbers greater than 30 to enhance x-ray absorption. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 19, wherein said compounds of elements with atomic numbers greater than 30 comprise at least one of cesium, barium, iodine, cadmium, tin, antimony, cerium, indium, tungsten, tantalum, bismuth, lead, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 19, wherein said compounds of elements with atomic numbers greater than 30 comprise at least one of bismuth oxide, tungsten oxide, cerium oxide, tantalum oxide, barium sulfate, cesium iodide, lead sulfate, bismuth telluride, bismuth selenide, lead telluride, lead selenide, lead sulfide, mercury telluride, mercury sulfide, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 15, wherein said x-ray absorbing material comprises semiconducting particles comprising an atomic element with an atomic number of at least 30 to enhance x-ray absorption. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 22, wherein said semiconducting particles comprise at least one of lead iodide, bismuth telluride, cadmium telluride, cadmium zinc telluride, mercuric iodide, bismuth selenide, lead telluride, lead selenide, lead sulfide, mercury telluride, mercury sulfide, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 24 An x-ray imaging system, comprising an array of x-ray detector elements, wherein at least one x-ray detector element of said array of x-ray detector elements comprises: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; an organic p-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes; an organic n-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes and in contact with said organic p-type semiconducting layer to form a pn-junction layer therebetween; and an x-ray absorbing layer disposed proximate at least one of said organic p-type semiconducting layer or said organic n-type semiconducting layer such that secondary electrons produced in said x-ray absorbing layer in response to absorbed x-rays excite at least one of said organic p-type semiconducting layer or said organic n-type semiconducting layer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 24, wherein said x-ray absorbing layer comprises a material comprising an atomic element having an atomic number greater than about 30 to enhance x-ray absorption. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 25, wherein said material of said x-ray absorbing layer comprises metal particles. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 25, wherein said material of said x-ray absorbing layer comprises a compound comprising said atomic element. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) An x-ray imaging system according to claim 25, wherein said material of said x-ray absorbing layer comprises semiconducting particles. ### Claim 29 A tissue-equivalent radiation detector, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; an organic p-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes; and an organic n-type semiconducting layer disposed between said first and second electrodes and in contact with said organic p-type semiconducting layer to form a pn-junction layer therebetween, wherein said organic p-type semiconducting layer and said organic n-type semiconducting layer together have an average atomic number that is approximately 7.4 to substantially match an average atomic number of muscle tissue.