Patent ID: 7102676

Claim:
An image pick-up apparatus comprising: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and TFTs arranged on an insulating substrate, wherein the photoelectric conversion elements and TFTs comprise an amorphous silicon film formed on the insulating substrate, and surface areas of the photoelectric conversion elements are higher than peripheral areas of the photoelectric conversion elements thereby forming steps; a wavelength converter positioned and configured to convert incident radiation to light having a wavelength detectable by said photoelectric conversion elements; a protective layer arranged on the insulating substrate so as to cover said photoelectric conversion elements and said TFTs, wherein the protective layer is formed from an inorganic material, a surface of the protective layer has surface steps corresponding to the photoelectric conversion element steps, and the protective layer is arranged in a wider area compared to the area where the photoelectric conversion elements and TFTs are arranged; and a flattening layer arranged on the surface of the protective layer; wherein the flattening layer is formed from an organic material; wherein the flattening layer is arranged in a wider area compared to the area where the wavelength converter is arranged; wherein a thickness of the flattening layer is thicker than that of the protective layer; wherein a surface of the flattening layer is flatter than the surface of the protective layer; and wherein the wavelength converter comprises a columnar crystal scintillator deposited on the surface of the flattening layer.