Metal oxide interface passivation for photon counting devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11056527-B2
Application number	US-201615145825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2016
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

Described herein are photon counting devices comprising direct mode detectors with improved signal to noise ratios which are suitable for use in X-ray imaging devices, and other imaging devices.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A photon counting device comprising:
a direct mode detector comprising;
a CdMgTeSe semiconductor layer located between a cathode electrode and an anode electrode; and a metal oxide layer comprising a metal oxide, wherein
the metal oxide comprises a metal that is different from metals present in the CdMgTeSe semiconductor layer.

2. The photon counting device of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide layer is located between the cathode electrode and the CdMgTeSe semiconductor layer.

3. The photon counting device of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide layer comprises Al 2 O 3 .

4. The photon counting device of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the metal oxide layer ranges from about 0.1 nm to about 3 nm.

5. The photon counting device of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide layer reduces passage of leakage current.

6. The photon counting device of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the CdMgTeSe semiconductor layer comprises a pre-existing oxide and the metal oxide layer is disposed on the pre-existing oxide.

7. The photon counting device of claim 6 , wherein the pre-existing oxide comprises metals which are the same as the metals present in the CdMgTeSe semiconductor.

8. An X-ray imaging device comprising a detector according to claim 1 .

9. A direct mode radiation detector comprising a CdMgTeSe semiconductor layer located between a cathode electrode and an anode electrode.

10. The direct mode radiation detector of claim 9 , additionally comprising a metal oxide layer, wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), gallium oxide (Ga 2 O 3 ), hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ), zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ), magnesium oxide (MgO), and combinations thereof.

11. The direct mode radiation detector of claim 10 , wherein the metal oxide layer comprises Al 2 O 3 .

12. The direct mode radiation detector of claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the metal oxide layer ranges from about 0.1 nm to about 3 nm.

13. A method for fabricating a direct mode detector comprising a CdMgTeSe semiconductor layer, the method comprising depositing a metal oxide layer comprising a metal oxide, between a cathode electrode and the semiconductor layer of an X-ray detector, wherein
the metal oxide comprises a metal that is different from metals present in the CdMgTeSe semiconductor layer; and
a thickness of the metal oxide layer ranges from about 0.1 nm to about 5 nm.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the metal oxide layer comprises Al 2 O 3 .

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the metal oxide layer is deposited by atomic layer deposition.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the metal oxide layer reduces passage of leakage current.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Cao Jinbo
• Choi Jongwoo
• Yakimov Aharon

Classifications

• H10F77/306

  for devices having potential barriers · CPC title

• H10F77/20

  Electrodes · CPC title

• H10F39/805

  Coatings · CPC title

• H10F39/028

  performed after manufacture of the image sensors, e.g. annealing, gettering of impurities, short-circuit elimination or recrystallisation · CPC title

• H10F39/024

  of coatings or optical elements · CPC title