Method and apparatus for differentially detecting beta rays and gamma rays included in radio active rays and package comprising the apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016116609-A1
Application number	US-201514883011-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2015
Priority date	Oct 24, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and methods for manufacturing apparatuses that differentially detect beta and/or gamma rays are described. One radiation sensor described herein has operational amplifier(s), two blocking layers capable of blocking beta rays, and two photodiodes. The first photodiode is disposed between the blocking layers and thus isolated from incident beta rays. Accordingly, the first photodiode is capable of detecting gamma rays and providing a current corresponding to detected gamma rays to an operational amplifier. The second photodiode is disposed on one of the blocking layers and is capable of detecting beta rays and gamma rays and providing current corresponding to detected beta and/or gamma rays to an operational amplifier. The operational amplifiers convert the currents into voltage pulses which are used to, for example, determine if beta and/or gamma rays are detected and the amount/level of detected rays.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sensor capable of differentially detecting beta rays and gamma rays, the sensor comprising:
a substrate on which at least one operational amplifier is mounted; a first blocking layer that blocks transmission of beta rays; a second blocking layer that blocks transmission of beta rays; a first photodiode that is disposed between the first blocking layer and the second blocking layer and is capable of detecting gamma rays; and a second photodiode that is disposed on the first blocking layer and is capable of detecting beta rays and gamma rays.

2 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first blocking layer and the second blocking layer comprises a metal layer stacked on a silicon wafer or a printed circuit board (PCB).

3 . The sensor of claim 2 , wherein the metal layer is formed from any one of aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), gold (Au), and silver (Ag).

4 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises any one of a printed circuit board (PCB), a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate, and a high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) substrate.

5 . The sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one pad that is connected to the substrate, wherein the at least one pad comprises a plurality of pads having a structure selected from a ball grid array (BGA), a land grid array (LGA), and a quad flat no-lead (QFN).

6 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one operational amplifier is connected to the first photodiode and the second photodiode, and converts a current generated by the first photodiode and a current generated by the second photodiode into voltages.

7 . The sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a processor capable of determining whether at least one of the detected beta rays and the detected gamma rays exceeds a predetermined level.

8 . A method of detecting radioactive rays, the method comprising:
differentiating beta rays and gamma rays included in incident radioactive rays; generating voltage pulses corresponding to the beta rays; generating voltage pulses corresponding to the gamma rays; and determining whether at least one of beta rays and gamma rays is detected based on the generated voltage pulses.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a program for executing a method comprising the steps of:
differentiating beta rays and gamma rays included in incident radioactive rays; generating voltage pulses corresponding to the beta rays; generating voltage pulses corresponding to the gamma rays; and determining whether at least one of beta rays and gamma rays is detected based on the generated voltage pulses.

10 . A package, comprising:
a first sensor capable of differentially detecting beta rays and gamma rays included in incident radioactive rays; an interposer; and a second sensor that is disposed on one side of the interposer wherein the first sensor is located on the other side of the interposer.

11 . The package of claim 10 , wherein the interposer comprises a layer that blocks transmission of electromagnetic (EM) waves.

12 . The package of claim 10 , wherein the interposer comprises a surface upon which at least one pad and a re-wiring pattern are disposed.

13 . The package of claim 10 , further comprising:
an antenna pattern disposed on the interposer that receives a radio frequency (RF) signal or electromagnetic (EM) waves.

14 . The package of claim 10 , further comprising:
a substrate that is electrically connected to the first sensor, the interposer, and the second sensor, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of: a printed circuit board (PCB), a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate, and a high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) substrate.

15 . The package of claim 14 , wherein the substrate comprises a metal layer that blocks transmission of the beta rays.

16 . The package of claim 10 , further comprising:
at least one pad that is attached externally to the package and electrically connected internally to the package, wherein the at least one pad comprises a plurality of pads with a structure selected from a ball grid array (BGA), a land grid array (LGA), and a quad flat no-lead (QFN).

17 . The package of claim 10 , wherein the second sensor comprises a sensor that detects ultraviolet rays,
wherein at least the portion of a molding around the package adjacent to the ultraviolet sensor comprises a material that is transparent in a band corresponding to ultraviolet rays.

18 . The package of claim 10 , wherein the second sensor comprises a sensor that detects ultraviolet rays,
wherein at least the portion of a molding around the package adjacent to the ultraviolet sensor comprises a material whose color varies based on the amount of the ultraviolet rays.

19 . The package of claim 10 , further comprising:
a layer on at least one side of the package that blocks transmission of electromagnetic (EM) waves.

20 . A device comprising:
an output unit; and a sensor capable of detecting radioactive rays, comprising:
a substrate on which at least one operational amplifier is mounted;
a first blocking layer that blocks transmission of beta rays;
a second blocking layer that blocks transmission of beta rays;
a first photodiode that is disposed between the first blocking layer and the second blocking layer and is capable of detecting gamma rays; and
a second photodiode that is disposed on the first blocking layer and is capable of detecting beta rays and gamma rays.

21 . The device of claim 20 , wherein the device is a mobile device.

22 . The device of claim 20 , wherein the device is a wearable device.

23 . The device of claim 20 , further comprising:
a processor capable of determining whether at least one of detected beta rays and detected gamma rays exceeds a predetermined level, wherein the device further comprises an output unit outputs a warning signal when the detected beta rays and/or the detected gamma rays exceed the predetermined level.

24 . The device of claim 23 , wherein the output unit outputs safety information when the detected beta rays and/or the detected gamma rays exceed the predetermined level.

25 . The device of claim 24 , wherein the safety information comprises information about a shelter from radioactive exposure.

26 . The device of claim 23 , wherein the output unit outputs information about the amount of radioactive rays detected over a predetermined period of time.

27 . A portable device comprising:
a package comprising:
a first sensor that is capable of differentially detecting beta rays and gamma rays included in rays incident on the portable device;
an interposer; and
a second sensor that is disposed on one side of the interposer and the first sensor is located on the other side of the interposer.

28 . The portable device of claim 27 , where the portable device is at least one of a wearable device and a mobile device.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Shin-Hee
• Baek Ln-Geol
• Cho Jae-Geol

Classifications

• G01T1/247

  Detector read-out circuitry (for processing gain or off-set correction H04N) · CPC title

• G01T1/242 Primary

  Stacked detectors, e.g. for depth information (constructional or manufacturing details H10W90/00) · CPC title

• G01T1/244

  Auxiliary details, e.g. casings, cooling, damping or insulation against damage by, e.g. heat, pressure or the like · CPC title

• G01T1/026

  Semiconductor dose-rate meters · CPC title