Patent ID: 7132637

Claim:
A method for fabricating a sensor array having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including an electronic processing circuit having a sensor input for coupling a sensor element to the electronic processing circuit, the sensor array further having a plurality of terminal nodes for external connection to respective electronic processing circuits of multiple pixels of power, I/O and control connections, the method comprising: integrating the electronic processing circuits on a first surface of a wafer so as to form an integrated circuit having at least one array of said electronic processing circuits with the sensor inputs and the terminal nodes on the first surface of the wafer; in respect of each pixel, providing an electrically conductive via through the wafer extending from the respective sensor input to a second surface of the wafer opposite the first surface; and growing amorphous or polycrystalline sensor material on the second surface of the wafer so as to form an array of sensor elements, an unexposed surface of the sensor material forming multiple electrodes of a first polarity each in registration and in ohmic contact with a corresponding one of the electrically conductive vias and such that an exposed surface of the sensor material forms a common electrode having a polarity that is opposite to the first polarity.