Semiconductor detector for x-ray single-photon detection

摘要

A detector for detecting a single x-ray photon with high temporal resolution and high efficiency includes a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate including element(s) from each of Groups III and V of the Periodic Table of Elements, and pixels on the substrate. Each pixel includes a semiconductor transistor including an epitaxial layer having element(s) from each of Groups III and V of the Periodic Table of Elements, an anode electrically connected to a gate of the semiconductor transistor, and a cathode electrically connected to a drain of the semiconductor transistor. Photon(s) are caused to impinge the single-photon detector along a y-direction (long side of pixel) to provide adequate stopping power, and electron-hole pairs generated by the photon(s) are collected along an x-direction or z-direction (short sides of pixel) to provide short transit time. Detectors form an array of pixels for x-ray imaging with temporal resolution of single photons.