NSF Award
0109652
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will apply fluidic self-assembly (FSA) technology to the fabrication of large area silicon-based X-ray imaging arrays. FSA technology offers potential for cost-effective production of high-speed, high-performance X-ray imaging arrays that are now in demand for synchrotron protein crystallography, X-ray astronomy, and mammography. Silicon X-ray diode arrays and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit chips will be micro-machined into the appropriate shapes for subsequent assembly using FSA. The FSA apparatus for transporting the micro-machined chips to the receptor substrate will be assembled and evaluated. Phase I will evaluate these techniques in fabrication of an X-ray imaging array. Phase II would include the design and fabrication of optimized detector structures and custom CMOS readout circuits, and optimization of the assembly procedures for a prototype-imaging array for synchrotron protein crystallography.<br/><br/>Potential applications are expected in the commercial production of X-ray imaging devices for medical, scientific, and other purposes.
