A New X-Ray Image Sensor Utilizing a Liquid Crystal Panel

We developed a new x-ray image sensor utilizing a reflection-mode liquid crystal panel as its sensitive element, and tested its functionality by using it to obtain an x-ray image of a printed circuit board. In the liquid crystal x-ray image sensors hitherto reported, the liquid crystal layer is in direct contact with the photoconductive film which is deposited on a glass substrate. In the fabrication of the new x-ray image sensor, a liquid crystal panel is fabricated in the first step by using a pair of glass plates of a few centimeters thicknrss. Then one of the glass substrates is ground until its thickness is reduced to about $60\;{\mu}m$. After polishing the glass plate, dielectric films for high reflectance at 630 nm, a film of amorphous selenium for photoconduction, and a transparent conductive film for electrode are deposited in sequence. The new x-ray image sensor has several merits: primarily, fabrication of a large area sensor is more easily compared with the old fashioned x-ray image sensors. Since the reflection type liquid crystal panel has a very steep response curve, the new x-ray sensor has much more sensitivity to x-rays compared with the conventional x-ray area sensor, and the radiation dosage can be reduced down to less then 20%. By combining the new x-ray sensor with CCD camera technology, real-time x-ray images can be easily captured. We report the structure, fabrication process and characteristics of the new x-ray image sensor.

새 구조의 액정 엑스선 감지기

새 구조의 액정 엑스선 감지기를 만들었다. 이것은 액정판을 만들고 유리판을 얇게 식각한 다음, 그 유리판 위에 반사막과 광전도층을 연속하여 입힌 구조이다. 새 구조의 액정엑스선 감지기는 공정의 안정성, 대면적화, 감도 등에서 이미 상품화된 엑스선 감지기와도 충분히 경쟁할 수 있으며, 따라서 성공적으로 상용화 할 수 있음을 확인했다.