• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.1235-1242
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• 2008

In this paper, x-ray image sensor of photon counting type having a $32{\times}32$ pixel array is designed with $0.18{\mu}m$ triple-well CMOS process. Each pixel of the designed image sensor has an area of loot $100{\times}100\;{\mu}m2$ and is composed of about 400 transistors. It has an open pad of an area of $50{\times}50{\mu}m2$ of CSA(charge Sensitive Amplifier) with x-ray detector through a bump bonding. To reduce layout size, self-biased folded cascode CMOS OP amp is used instead of folded cascode OP amp with voltage bias circuit at each single-pixel CSA, and 15-bit LFSR(Linear Feedback Shift Register) counter clock generator is proposed to remove short pulse which occurs from the clock before and after it enters the counting mode. And it is designed that sensor data can be read out of the sensor column by column using a column address decoder to reduce the maximum current of the CMOS x-ray image sensor in the readout mode.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.94-101
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• 2011

Various kinds of medical imaging devices have been studied to develop periapical radiography. However, there are some problems such as high x-ray exposure rate and pains for patients because of the problems caused by intra-oral sensor based radiography system. In this study, a new concept of periapical radiography, intra oral X-ray tube and detector system, is introduced to solve these problems. This system is made up of miniature X-ray tube based on subminiature thermal electron or cold electron, CMOS based detector, and a body including automatic position and system control devices. In order to confirm the possibility of proposed new concept to periapical radiography, miniature x-ray tube from XOFT corporation is used to develop new x-ray system, and the performance evaluation of this system is performed according to collimator. Also, dental images are compared after acquiring both images from existing system versus new concept of system. As a result, new concept of system showed excellent image. Thus, it is considered that new concept of system will have a significant effect on medical imaging technology.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.359-369
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• 2020

In this paper, we proposed a charge pump (CP) circuit that has a wide operating range while reducing the current mismatch for the PLL that generates the main clock of the CMOS X-Ray detector. The operating range and current mismatch of the CP circuit are determined by the characteristics of the current source circuit for the CP circuit. The proposed CP circuit is implemented with a wide operating current mirror bias circuit to secure a wide operating range and a cascode structure with a large output resistance to reduce current mismatch. The proposed wide operating range cascode CP circuit was fabricated as a chip using a 350nm CMOS process, and current matching characteristics were measured using a source measurement unit. At this time, the power supply voltage was 3.3 V and the CP circuit current ICP = 100 ㎂. The operating range of the proposed CP circuit is △VO_Swing=2.7V, and the maximum current mismatch is 5.15 % and the maximum current deviation is 2.64 %. The proposed CP circuit has low current mismatch characteristics and can cope with a wide frequency range, so it can be applied to systems requiring various clock speed.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.261-273
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• 2010

For the use of Indirect-conversion CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) detectors for digital x-ray radiography and their better designs, we have theoretically evaluated the spatial-frequency-dependent detective quantum efficiency (DQE) using the cascaded linear-systems transfer theory. In order to validate the developed model, the DQE was experimentally determined by the measured modulation-transfer function (MTF) and noise-power spectrum, and the estimated incident x-ray fluence under the mammography beam quality of W/Al. From the comparison between the theoretical and experimental DQEs, the overall tendencies were well agreed. Based on the developed model, we have investigated the DQEs values with respect to various design parameters of the CMOS x-ray detector such as phosphor quantum efficiency, Swank noise, photodiode quantum efficiency and the MTF of various scintillator screens. This theoretical approach is very useful tool for the understanding of the developed imaging systems as well as helpful for the better design or optimization for new development.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.143-151
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• 2016

The aim of this study is to investigate the optimal algorithm to extract medical radiation induced pixel signal from complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors of smartphones camera. The pixel intensity and pixel number of smartphone camera were measured as the X-ray dose was increased. The front camera of the smartphone camera has low noise property and excellent dose response as compared to the back camera of the smartphone. The indirect method which uses scintillation crystal in front of the smartphone camera, couldn't improve the X-ray detection efficiency as compared to the direct method which does not use any scintillator in front of the smartphone camera. When we used the algorithm which employing threshold level on the pixel intensity and pixel number, the dose linearity was more higher for the pixel intensity rather for the pixel number. The use of pixel intensity of Y color component which represents the grey scale, would be efficient in terms of the radiation detection efficiency and reducing the complexity of the image processing. We expect that the radiation dose monitoring can be managed effectively and systematically by using the proposed radiation detection algorithm, thus eventually will contribute to the public healthcare.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.283-287
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• 2011

In this study, fine $Gd_2O_2S$:Tb powder was synthesized by using a low temperature solution-combustion method for a high-resolution digital x-ray imaging detector. From the fabricated phosphor power, the fine scintillator films was fabricated by particle sedimentation method and was investigated the luminescent property. From the experimental results of relative light output as a function of terbium concentration, the highest luminescent efficiency has at 5 wt% Tb concentration, and luminescent intensity decreased rapidly according to quenching effect about higher Tb concentration. Also, the relative light output of $270{\mu}m$-$Gd_2O_2S$:Tb film has 2945 pC/$cm^2$/mR. And light intensity was saturated at higher film thickness. Finally, to evaluate an image acquisition performance of fabricated phosphor, images were obtained by using commercial CMOS sensor and measured the MTF, NPS, and DQE. DQE(0 lp/mm) of fine phosphor film has 37%. But, DQE improvement of fine phosphor film is possible by resolving problem of film fabrication process and has a significant potential in the application of digital radiation imaging system later.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

The trend of x-ray image sensor has been evolved from an amorphous silicon sensor to a crystal silicon sensor. A crystal silicon X-ray sensor, meaning a X-ray CIS (CMOS image sensor), is consisted of three transistors (Trs), i.e., a Reset Transistor, a Source Follower and a Select Transistor, and a photodiode. They are highly sensitive to radiation exposure. As the frequency of exposure to radiation increases, the quality of the imaging device dramatically decreases. The most well known effects of a X-ray CIS due to the radiation damage are increments in the reset voltage and dark currents. In this study, a pixel array of a X-ray CIS was made of $20{\times}20pixels$ and this pixel array was exposed to a high radiation dose. The radiation source was Co-60 and the total radiation dose was increased from 1 to 9 kGy with a step of 1 kGy. We irradiated the small pixel array to get the increments data of the reset voltage and the dark currents. Also, we simulated the radiation effects of the pixel by MCNP (Monte Carlo N-Particle) simulation. From the comparison of actual data and simulation data, the most affected location could be determined and the cause of the increments of the reset voltage and dark current could be found.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.155-158
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• 2010

Digital radiographic systems allow the implementation of a fully digital picture archiving and communication system (PACS), and provide the greater dynamic range of digital detectors with possible reduction of X-ray exposure to the patient. This article reviewed the basic physical principles of digital radiographic imaging system in dental clinics generally. Digital radiography can be divided into computed radiography (CR) and direct radiography (DR). CR systems acquire digital images using phosphor storage plates (PSP) with a separate image readout process. On the other hand, DR systems convert X-rays into electrical charges by means of a direct readout process. DR systems can be further divided into direct and indirect conversion systems depending on the type of X-ray conversion. While a direct conversion requires a photoconductor that converts X-ray photons into electrical charges directly, in an indirect conversion, lightsensitive sensors such as CCD or a flat-panel detector convert visible light, proportional to the incident X-ray energy by a scintillator, into electrical charges. Indirect conversion sensors using CCD or CMOS without lens-coupling are used in intraoral radiography. CR system using PSP is mainly used in extraoral radiographic system and a linear array CCD or CR sensors, in panoramic system. Currently, the digital radiographic system is an important subject in the dental field. Most studies reported that no significant difference in diagnostic performance was found between the digital and conventional systems. To accept advances in technology and utilize benefits provided by the systems, the continuous feedback between doctors and manufacturers is essential.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2012

There are two methods to fabricate the readout electronic to a large-area CMOS image sensor (LACIS). One is to design and manufacture the sensor part and signal processing electronics in a single chip and the other is to integrate both parts with bump bonding or wire bonding after manufacturing both parts separately. The latter method has an advantage of the high yield because the optimized and specialized fabrication process can be chosen in designing and manufacturing each part. In this paper, LACIS chip, that is optimized design for the latter method of fabrication, is presented. The LACIS chip consists of a 3-TR pixel photodiode array, row driver (or called as a gate driver) circuit, and bonding pads to the external readout ICs. Among 4 types of the photodiode structure available in a standard CMOS process, $N_{photo}/P_{epi}$ type photodiode showed the highest quantum efficiency in the simulation study, though it requires one additional mask to control the doping concentration of $N_{photo}$ layer. The optimized channel widths and lengths of 3 pixel transistors are also determined by simulation. The select transistor is not significantly affected by channel length and width. But source follower transistor is strongly influenced by length and width. In row driver, to reduce signal time delay by high capacitance at output node, three stage inverter drivers are used. And channel width of the inverter driver increases gradually in each step. The sensor has very long metal wire that is about 170 mm. The repeater consisted of inverters is applied proper amount of pixel rows. It can help to reduce the long metal-line delay.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.756-767
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• 2007

For the combination of phosphor screens having various thicknesses and a photodiode array manufactured by complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process, we report the observation of image-quality degradation under the irradiation of 45-kVp spectrum x rays. The image quality was assessed in terms of dark pixel signal, dynamic range, modulation-transfer function (MTF), noise-power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE). For the accumulation of the absorbed dose, the radiation-induced increase both in dark signal and noise resulted in the gradual reduction in dynamic range. While the MTF was only slightly affected by the total ionizing dose, the noise power in the case of $Min-R^{TM}$ screen, which is the thinnest one among the considered screens in this study, became larger as the total dose was increased. This is caused by incomplete correction of the dark current fixed-pattern noise. In addition, the increase tendency in NPS was independent of the spatial frequency. For the cascaded model analysis, the additional noise source is from direct absorption of x-ray photons. The change in NPS with respect to the total dose degrades the DQE. However, with carefully updated and applied correction, we can overcome the detrimental effects of increased dark current on NPS and DQE. This study gives an initial motivation that the periodic monitoring of the image-quality degradation is an important issue for the long-term and healthy use of digital x-ray imaging detectors.