Modular x-ray measurement system

An x-ray detector assembly comprising:

• a plurality of x-ray scintillator elements arranged in an array;
• a first silicon substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a front-illuminated array of photodetectors disposed on the top surface of the first silicon substrate and having coplanar contacts, the array of photodetectors aligned so as to match the array of x-ray scintillator elements;
• a second silicon substrate fused to the bottom surface of the first silicon substrate, the second silicon substrate providing on its distal side a planar connectivity pattern matched to electronics in a signal acquisition system, wherein the signal acquisition system is contained in an integrated chip that is wire bonded to the second substrate;
• an x-ray absorbing element disposed between the second silicon substrate and the signal acquisition system so as to shield the electronics in the signal acquisition system from exposure to x-rays;
• and
• wiring extending around at least one side of the x-ray absorbing element and connected to the electronics in the signal acquisition system on one side of the x-ray absorbing element, and connected to desired locations on the connectivity pattern on the other side of the x-ray absorbing element so as to insure connectivity between the electronics and the connectivity pattern and that all connectivity is disposed between adjacent components.

An x-ray detection system, comprising:

• a plurality of x-ray detector assemblies connected to each other, each x-ray detector assembly comprising:
• a plurality of x-ray scintillator elements arranged in an array;
• a first silicon substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a front-illuminated array of photodetectors disposed on the top surface of the first silicon substrate and having coplanar contacts, the array of photodetectors aligned so as to match the array of x-ray scintillator elements;
• a second silicon substrate fused to the bottom surface of the first silicon substrate, the second substrate providing on its distal side a planar connectivity pattern matched to electronics in a signal acquisition system, wherein the signal acquisition system is connected to the planar connectivity pattern by a flexible circuit;
• one or more through-hole connections that traverse both silicon substrates and are configured to couple the contacts of the photodetectors from the top surface of the first silicon substrate to the connectivity pattern on the distal side of the second silicon substrate;
• an x-ray absorbing element disposed between the second silicon substrate and the data processing system to shield the data processing system from exposure to x-rays, the x-ray absorbing element spaced apart from the second silicon substrate and from the data processing system to thermally isolate the array of photodiodes and the plurality of scintillators from heat generated by the signal acquisition system;
• and
• a heat sink connected to the signal acquisition system.

An x-ray detection system, comprising:

• a plurality of x-ray detector assemblies connected to each other, each x-ray detector assembly comprising:
• a plurality of x-ray scintillator elements arranged in an array;
• a first silicon substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a front-illuminated array of photodetectors disposed on the top surface of the first silicon substrate and having coplanar contacts, the array of photodetectors aligned so as to match the array of x-ray scintillator elements;
• a second silicon substrate fused to the bottom surface of the first silicon substrate, the second substrate providing on its distal side a planar connectivity pattern matched to electronics in a signal acquisition system;
• and
• one or more through-hole connections that traverse both silicon substrates and are configured to couple the contacts of the photodetectors from the top surface of the first silicon substrate to the connectivity pattern on the distal side of the second silicon substrate.

An x-ray imaging system for generating an x-ray image of an object, the x-ray imaging system comprising:

• A) an x-ray detector assembly configured to detect x-rays that have traversed the object, and to generate electrical signals in response to the detected x-rays, wherein the x-ray detector assembly includes:
• a plurality of x-ray scintillator elements arranged in an array;
• a first silicon substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a front-illuminated array of photodetectors disposed on the top surface of the first silicon substrate and having coplanar contacts, the array of photodetectors aligned so as to match the array of x-ray scintillator elements;
• a second silicon substrate fused to the bottom surface of the first silicon substrate, the second silicon substrate providing on its distal side a planar connectivity pattern matched to a signal acquisition system;
• and
• one or more through-hole connections that traverse both silicon substrates and are configured to couple the contacts of the photodetectors from the top surface of the first silicon substrate to the connectivity pattern on the distal side of the second silicon substrate;
• and
• B) an image reconstruction system configured to reconstruct images from the electrical signals processed by the signal acquisition system.