# US 6,724,855 B2 · X-ray flat panel detector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,724,855 B2 - Document ID: US6724855B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/127,758 - Filed: 2002-04-23 - Published: 2002-10-24 - Granted: 2004-04-20 - Earliest claimed: 2001-04-23 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugawara; Takayuki Tomisaki; Manabu Tanaka; Akira Tsukamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6724855B2 ## CPC - G01T 1/2928: {using solid state detectors} - H04N 25/671: for non-uniformity detection or correction - H04N 25/673: by using reference sources - 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) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An X-ray flat panel detector includes sensor elements constituted by a plurality of effective pixels that detect X-rays and a plurality of dummy pixels that are arranged adjacent to the effective pixel area and generate electrical signals irrelevant to X-rays, signal lines which read out electrical signals from the respective pixels, scanning lines which scan the respective pixels, a first electrostatic wiring line which distributes static electricity accumulated in the signal lines, and a second electrostatic wiring line which distributes static electricity accumulated in the scanning lines. A plurality of dummy pixels are classified into a DA area where noise superposed on the signal lines are removed and a DB area where noise superposed on the scanning lines are removed. The first and second electrostatic wiring lines are laid out around the sensor elements, and physically disconnected between the DA area and the DB area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An X-ray flat panel detector comprising: an effective pixel array in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arrayed in a matrix and accumulate charges; a photoconductor which covers said effective pixel array and generates charges on the basis of incident X-rays; a bias electrode which is formed on a second surface of said photoconductor, covers an area of said pixel electrodes, and applies a bias voltage between said photoconductor and said pixel electrodes; a plurality of signal lines to read out electronic signals from said effective pixel array; a plurality of scanning lines to scan said effective pixel array; first dummy pixels which are arranged adjacent to said effective pixel array and remove noise superposed on said plurality of signal lines; second dummy pixels which are arranged adjacent to said effective pixel array and remove noise superposed on said plurality of scanning lines; a first protective electrode which is arranged in correspondence with said first dummy pixels and electrically shields said bias electrode and said plurality of signal lines or said plurality of scanning lines; and a second protective electrode which is arranged in correspondence with said second dummy pixels, disconnected from said first protective electrode and electrically shields said bias electrode and said plurality of signal lines or said plurality of scanning lines. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The detector according to claim 1, further comprising a first pad to supply GND potential to said first protective electrode, and a second pad to supply GND potential to said second protective electrode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The detector according to claim 1, wherein said first protective electrode receives GND potential of a driving circuit which drives said effective pixel array; and said second protective electrode receives GND potential of a read circuit which reads out an electrical signal from said effective pixel array via said signal line. ### Claim 4 An X-ray flat panel detector comprising: an effective pixel array in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arrayed in a matrix and accumulate charges; a photoconductor which covers said effective pixel array and generates charges on the basis of incident X-rays; a bias electrode which is formed on a second surface of said photoconductor, covers an area of said pixel electrodes, and applies a bias voltage between said photoconductor and said pixel electrodes; a plurality of signal lines to read out electronic signals from said effective pixel array; a plurality of scanning lines to scan said effective pixel array; a protective electrode which electrically shields said bias electrode and said plurality of signal lines or said plurality of scanning lines; first dummy pixels which are arranged around said protective electrode and remove noise superposed on said plurality of signal lines; and second dummy pixels which are arranged around said protective electrode and remove noise superposed on said plurality of scanning lines. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The detector according to claim 4, wherein said protective electrode is disconnected at at least one portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The detector according to claim 4, wherein said protective electrode includes at least two protective electrodes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The detector according to claim 4, wherein said protective electrode has first and second protective electrode portions which are arranged axially symmetrically about said signal line or said scanning line. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The detector according to claim 4, further comprising a pad to supply GND potential to said protective electrode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The detector according to claim 4, wherein said protective electrode receives GND potential of a driving circuit which drives said effective pixel array. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The detector according to claim 4, wherein said protective electrode receives GND potential of a read circuit which reads out an electrical signal from said effective pixel array via said signal line. ### Claim 11 An X-ray flat panel detector comprising: an effective pixel array in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arrayed in a matrix and accumulate charges; a photoconductor which covers said effective pixel array and generates charges on the basis of incident X-rays; a plurality of first signal lines to read out electronic signals from said effective pixel array; a plurality of first scanning lines to scan said effective pixel array; and an electrostatic dispersion wiring line which is connected directly or via a nonlinear element to at least one of said plurality of first signal lines and at least one of said plurality of first scanning lines, and distributes static electricity accumulated in at least one of said plurality of first signal lines or said plurality of first scanning lines, wherein said electrostatic dispersion wiring line has a first auxiliary wiring line to disconnect said electrostatic dispersion wiring line between a connecting portion between said electrostatic dispersion wiring line and at least one of said plurality of first signal lines and a connecting portion between said electrostatic dispersion wiring line and at least one of said first scanning lines. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The detector according to claim 11, which further comprises first dummy pixels which remove noise superposed on said plurality of signal lines, second dummy pixels which remove noise superposed on said plurality of scanning lines, a second signal line to read out electronic signals from said first and second dummy pixels, and a second scanning line to scan said first and second dummy pixels; and in which said electrostatic dispersion wiring line is connected directly or via a nonlinear element to at least one of said plurality of first signal lines, said second signal line, at least one of said plurality of first scanning lines, and said second scanning line, and has a second auxiliary wiring line to disconnect said electrostatic dispersion wiring line between a connecting portion between a connecting portion between said electrostatic dispersion wiring line and at least one of said plurality of first signal lines and a connecting portion between said electrostatic dispersion wiring line and said second signal line, or between a connecting line between said electrostatic dispersion wiring line and at least one of said plurality of first scanning lines and a connecting portion between said electrostatic dispersion wiring line and said second scanning line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The detector according to claim 11, which further comprises first dummy pixels which remove noise superposed on said plurality of signal lines, second dummy pixels which remove noise superposed on said plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of second signal lines to read out electronic signals from said first dummy pixels, and second scanning lines to scan said second dummy pixels, and in which said electrostatic dispersion wiring line has a first wiring line which is connected to at least one of said plurality of first signal lines and at least one of said plurality of second signal lines, a second wiring line which is connected to at least one of said plurality of first scanning lines, and a third wiring line which is connected to at least one of said plurality of second scanning lines. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The detector according to claim 13, further comprising a resistor which connects said first, second, and third wiring lines. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The detector according to claim 14, wherein said resistor has a resistance value which prevents dielectric breakdown caused by static electricity accumulated in at least one of said plurality of first signal lines or said plurality of first scanning lines. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The detector according to claim 13, further comprising a third auxiliary wiring line which is connected to said first, second, and third wiring lines, and cuts off electrical connection between said wiring lines. ### Claim 17 An X-ray flat panel detector comprising: an effective pixel array in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arrayed in a matrix and accumulate charges; a photoconductor which covers said effective pixel array and generates charges on the basis of incident X-rays; a plurality of first signal lines to read out electronic signals from said effective pixel array; a plurality of first scanning lines to scan said effective pixel array; an electrostatic dispersion wiring line which is connected directly or via a nonlinear element to at least one of said plurality of first signal lines and at least one of said plurality of first scanning lines, and distributes static electricity accumulated in at least one of said plurality of first signal lines or said plurality of first scanning lines; first dummy pixels which remove noise superposed on said plurality of signal lines; second dummy pixels which remove noise superposed on said plurality of scanning lines; a plurality of second signal lines to read out electronic signals from said first dummy pixels; and second scanning lines to scan said second dummy pixels, wherein said electrostatic dispersion wiring line has a first wiring line which is connected to at least one of said plurality of first signal lines and at least one of said plurality of second signal lines, a second wiring line which is connected to at least one of said plurality of first scanning lines, and a third wiring line which is connected to at least one of said plurality of second scanning lines. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The detector according to claim 17, further comprising a resistor which connects said first, second, and third wiring lines. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The detector according to claim 18, wherein said resistor has a resistance value which prevents dielectric breakdown caused by static electricity accumulated in at least one of said plurality of first signal lines or said plurality of first scanning lines. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The detector according to claim 17, further comprising a third auxiliary wiring line which is connected to said first, second, and third wiring lines, and cuts off electrical connection between said wiring lines.