Flexible X-ray Detector Panel With Alternating Buffer Stack
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital X-ray detectors suffer from device characteristic deterioration due to direct exposure to X-rays and the rigidity of glass substrates, limiting their flexibility and performance, especially in applications requiring flexible digital X-ray detectors.
Innovation Solution
A flexible digital X-ray detector panel is developed with a multiple layered buffer stack, a device array layer, and a scintillator layer, where the buffer stack consists of alternately stacked silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers, eliminating the need for a base substrate and incorporating an organic layer to reduce height differences and enhance flexibility, while the scintillator layer is formed without a separate adhesive layer to maintain panel thickness and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a glass substrate is used as a base substrate, then the digital X-ray detector can be supported structurally, but the detector becomes rigid and cannot achieve flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the glass base substrate from the conventional digital X-ray detector structure, extracting the rigid supporting element that prevents flexibility. The detector is redesigned to function without this traditional substrate, enabling flexible applications while maintaining structural integrity through alternative means.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible thin film structures to replace the rigid glass substrate. By using thin film transistors and flexible layer configurations, the detector achieves the necessary flexibility for conformal and wearable applications while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength through the layered film architecture.
2Productivity
If the thin film transistor is directly exposed to X-rays, then the detection process can proceed, but the threshold voltage shifts negatively and device characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an X-ray absorbing layer as an intermediary between the X-ray source and the thin film transistor. This layer absorbs the harmful X-ray radiation before it reaches the TFT, preventing threshold voltage shifts and device deterioration, while still allowing the detector to function through the scintillator-PIN diode-TFT signal pathway.
3Measurement precision
If multiple layers are stacked to improve device performance, then detection accuracy increases, but the panel thickness increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin film structures throughout the detector architecture, where each functional layer (scintillator, PIN diode, TFT, buffer layers) is implemented as a thin film. This approach maintains the necessary multi-layer functionality for accurate X-ray detection while keeping each layer thickness minimal to preserve overall panel flexibility and reduce total thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures, particularly in the buffer stack configuration with alternating silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers. This composite approach provides mechanical strength and structural stability with minimal thickness, enabling the flexible detector to maintain its shape and protect underlying layers without excessive thickness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces device deterioration, enhances flexibility, and minimizes the impact of external moisture and oxygen, allowing for effective X-ray detection without the negative shifts in threshold voltage, thus improving the performance and durability of the digital X-ray detector.
Implementation Method 1
the scintillator converts the incident X-rays into visible light
Implementation Method 2
The visible light applied to the PIN diode is re-converted into an electronic signal in the PIN diode
Data Source
AI summary
A panel for a flexible digital X-ray detector and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. Embodiments of the flexible digital X-ray detector reduce device characteristic deterioration caused by X-ray exposure, increase flexibility to the panel by reducing a thickness of the panel yet provide rigidity to maintain the shape of the panel, and reduce residual impurities during a Laser Lift Off (LLO) process. The panel can include a multi-buffer layer in which a silicon oxide (SiOx) layer and a silicon nitride (SiNx) layer are alternately stacked, and a device array layer and a scintillator layer that are disposed over the multi-buffer layer. During the LLO process, the method for manufacturing the panel includes increasing the hydrogen content using a sacrificial layer including an amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer and a silicon nitride (SiNx) layer disposed at both surfaces of the a-Si layer, such that the amount of residual impurities in the sacrificial layer can be reduced.