Ceramic-Substrate Photon-Counting Detectors for Thermal Mismatch Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional photon-counting detectors face issues with reliability and manufacturing costs due to the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients between the sensor layer and resin substrates, leading to deformation and connection failures during high-temperature packaging.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing a ceramic substrate with a thermal expansion coefficient close to that of the sensor layer to improve signal transmission and reduce packaging complexity and costs, while maintaining detector reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a resin substrate is used to support the sensor layer and processing circuits, then the manufacturing cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients causing deformation and connection failures during high-temperature packaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter (thermal expansion coefficient) of the substrate from resin-based to ceramic-based materials. This parameter change ensures that the substrate's thermal expansion coefficient matches that of the sensor layer, eliminating deformation and connection failures during high-temperature packaging while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs ceramic materials as the substrate, which can be considered a composite material solution. The ceramic substrate provides both the mechanical support function and the matched thermal expansion properties, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability
2Reliability
If a substrate with matched thermal expansion coefficient (ceramic) is used, then the reliability is improved by minimizing deformation and connection failures, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the substrate material parameter to ceramic with matched thermal expansion coefficient, the patent achieves improved reliability. The long-term operational stability and reduced failure rates offset the initial manufacturing cost increase, providing better value over the product lifecycle
Solution Approach 2:
The patent avoids using inexpensive but unreliable resin substrates that would require frequent replacement due to failure. Instead, it invests in a more durable ceramic substrate that eliminates the need for replacement, reducing total cost of ownership despite higher initial manufacturing cost
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 ceramic substrate enhances the stability and reliability of photon-counting detectors by minimizing deformation and connection failures, thereby improving the efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a substrate (202) whose coefficient of thermal expansion is close to that of the sensor layer for transmitting signals between the one or more processing circuits (203) and the sensor layer (201)
Data Source
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AI summary
Photon-counting detectors (200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700) for detecting radiations. The photon-counting detector (200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700) may include a sensor layer (201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701), a substrate (202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702), and one or more processing circuits (203, 303, 403, 503, 603, 703). The sensor layer (201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701) may be configured to absorb incident radiation photons and generate an electrical signal. The substrate (202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702) may be connected with the sensor layer (201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701). The one or more processing circuits (203, 303, 403, 503, 603, 703) may be connected with the substrate (202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702). The one or more processing circuits (203, 303, 403, 503, 603, 703) may be configured to receive, through the substrate (202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702), the electrical signal for determining information of the incident radiation photons. A difference between a first coefficient of thermal expansion of the sensor layer (201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701) and a second coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate (202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702) may be less than a threshold。The stability and reliability during the operation of the detectors (200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700) may be improved.