Tiled imaging apparatus providing substantially continuous imaging

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of imaging device tiles arranged on an imaging support. Each of the imaging device tiles includes an imaging device having an imaging surface and a non-active region, wherein the imaging surface of a first imaging device tile at least partially overlies the non-active region of a second imaging device tile.

Description

[0001] This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08 / 890,936 filed Jul. 10, 1997.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] The invention relates to the field of imaging, an in particular to apparatus for large area imaging.[0004] 2. Description of the Art[0005] Imaging systems are used in a wide range of applications, particularly for imaging for medical diagnosis, in biotechnology, and in industrial applications for non-destructive testing and on-line product quality control. For all of these fields of application, the prevailing means of performing imaging has been to use radiation, usually X-rays, gamma-rays and beta-rays. Radiation is detected by some sort of imaging plane, which need not be planar. Accordingly, the term imaging surface will be used hereinafter. Images are formed either directly on the imaging surfaces (e.g., projection imaging) or data are processed and images are reconstructed in a computer (e.g., computerized tomography or coded aperture imaging in nuclear m...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, the most precise digital on-line imaging devices proposed so far involve pixel-based semiconductors which cannot be manufactured in large areas (larger than a few square cm at most).

Moreover, it would not be desirable to manufacture, for example, a monolithic 30 cm by 30 cm digital imaging semiconductor surface because the yield would be low.

If a portion of the expensive imaging area became defective, then the whole surface would have to be replaced.

However, when the imaging devices are tiled to form such a mosaic, dead spaces are left around the active imaging areas of the imaging devices.

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