NSF Award
9661140
*** 9661140 Sudharsanan This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes to develop a self-scanned, large-area, flat-panel, X-ray detector technology more efficient, lower-cost, and larger area than charged coupled device (CCD)-based X-ray detectors. The proposed detector will employ a continuous photoconductive CdZnTe layer as a direct X-ray converter; this detector win be monolithically integrated to large-area, active-matrix, thin-film transistor pixellated arrays for readout. CdZnTe offers direct detection, better detection efficiency, higher signal-to-noise ratio, and larger dynamic range than CCD-based X-ray detectors. Phase I will seek to demonstrate the feasibility of this detector technology by fabricating and testing a detector array which employs CdZnTe thin films deposited on TFT arrays. CdZnTe thin film will be deposited by thermal evaporation. A 4 x 4 array will be designed, fabricated, and tested to determine CdZnTe suitability for X-ray detection. Phase II, would be directed toward fabricating larger arrays and performing imaging to demonstrate the feasibility of this detector technology for macromolecular crystallography. If successful, the research could result in X-ray detector technology will replace CCD-based detector systems in X-ray diffraction studies of biological samples because of the direct detection, high detection efficiency, and low-cost of the technology. In addition, these detectors will be useful for X-ray imaging in industrial and medical applications. Medical applications include digital mammography and diagnostic X-ray radiology. ***
