Direct X-ray Detector Temperature Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Direct-converting X-ray detectors experience temperature fluctuations due to changing occupation probabilities of deep impurities, leading to electric field changes and counting rate drifts, which result in unacceptable artifacts in imaging, especially in CT systems where rapid X-ray flux changes occur.
Innovation Solution
The method involves maintaining constant electric power in the semiconductor by adjusting additional irradiation, using a control loop with a radiation source to generate charge carriers and regulate power-dependent additional irradiation, ensuring thermal stabilization through photocurrent and electric power loss management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If Peltier elements are used for temperature regulation, then the average temperature can be stabilized, but rapid temperature fluctuations cannot be compensated and non-uniform temperature profiles occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical Peltier element-based temperature regulation system with an electrical field-based compensation system. By applying an electric field across the semiconductor detector, the system compensates for temperature fluctuations through field-induced charge carrier effects, eliminating the need for mechanical thermal management components and their inherent limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameter from passive thermal management to active electrical field control. By dynamically adjusting the electric field strength in response to temperature fluctuations, the system compensates for thermal effects on detector performance, transforming the approach from temperature stabilization to performance stabilization through parameter adjustment.
2Temperature
If additional irradiation is used to generate charge carriers, then temperature can be stabilized through photocurrent, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the semiconductor detector multi-functional by enabling it to serve both as the primary X-ray detection element and as a temperature stabilization mechanism. The same semiconductor material that detects X-rays also generates photocurrent through additional irradiation, providing dual functionality without requiring separate temperature control components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the temperature stabilization function with the X-ray detection function by using the same semiconductor detector structure. The additional irradiation system is integrated with the detector, and the photocurrent generated serves both to maintain charge carrier populations and to stabilize temperature, combining multiple functions into a unified system.
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
This approach stabilizes the temperature within the semiconductor, preventing counting rate drifts and maintaining image quality by compensating for temperature fluctuations and X-ray flux changes, eliminating the need for external temperature regulation systems like Peltier elements.
Implementation Method 1
at least one additional radiation source for each partial detector surface, which irradiates the semiconductor with additional radiation... generates charge carriers and regulate power-dependent additional irradiation, ensuring thermal stabilization through photocurrent
Implementation Method 2
during the irradiation of the detector surface, heat is generated in the semiconductor material by electric power
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed for the temperature stabilization of a direct-converting X-ray detector, including a detector surface having a semiconductor and being divided into a plurality of partial detector surfaces. During the irradiation of the detector surface, heat is generated in the semiconductor by electric power. Electric power generated in the semiconductor is kept constant for each partial detector surface at least during a heterogeneous and/or temporally variable irradiation of the detector surface by feeding-in power-adjusted additional radiation for each partial detector surface. A direct-converting X-ray detector is disclosed for the detection of X-rays. At least one control loop with at least one reference variable is embodied for the energy regulation of the additional radiation, which keeps the temperature in the semiconductor constant for each partial detector surface by keeping the electric power in the semiconductor constant by changing the energy of the additional radiation. A CT system is disclosed.