Radiation detector with an ionizable gas atop an integrated circuit

Abstract

The radiation detector includes tissue equivalent bubbles of plastic defining volumes of gas to be ionized by radiation. One or more integrated circuit (ICs) are disposed below the volumes of gas and a collecting electrode on the IC is in direct contact with the gas. Circuitry for generating an electric field within the volume of gas moves the ions therein to the collecting electrode. The collecting electrode is part of an amplifying circuit disposed within the IC. The output from the amplifier is representative of the collected ions and therefore representative of the radiation. The signal from the amplifier is sent to an interface which conditions, buffers and stores the signal. The radiation dose and dose rate are computed in the interface. A communications section transfers that data from the radiation detector. A separate calibration and display unit calibrates the interface by controlling the conditioning of the signal. An area monitor and air monitor are further enhancements of the radiation detector. The radiation detector includes several circuitry arrangements for minimizing inaccuracies due to leakage currents to the collecting electrode from the amplifying circuit. Such circuitry arrangements include duplicate discharge and amplifying circuits not connected to a functioning collecting electrode; subtracting circuitry for subtracting a signal valued proportional to the leakage current; and a current source inducing current opposite in polarity to the leakage current.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.