Patent Number: 060693614
Section: abstract

An improved solid-state detector for use in a digital X-Ray imaging system. The detector includes two or more silicon CCDs that are sandwiched together with phosphor screens or layers between them in order to improve the overall sensitivity of the detector to X-rays. In order to improve the resolution of the device, the CCDs are offset relative to one another so that the pixels of one cover the nonsensing portions of the other. The phosphorescent screen is combined with an opaque mask containing holes corresponding to positions of the pixels in the CCDs. This arrangement improves image quality by preventing light resulting from an X-ray striking the phosphorescent screen in a particular location from "bleeding" and exposing adjacent pixels. One such screen is placed on each side of the phosphorescent layer with holes aligned with the corresponding CCD, or the screen can be affixed directly to the CCD prior to assembly of the device, or "spots" of the phosphorescent material can be applied directly to the CCDs over each pixel.