High-resolution direct-detection x-ray imagers

Abstract

We report on a-Si direct detection x-ray image sensors with polycrystalline PbI<SUB>2</SUB>, and more recently with HgI<SUB>2</SUB>. The arrays have 100 micron pixel size and, we study those aspects of the detectors that mainly determine the DQE, such as sensitivity, effective fill factor, dark current noise, noise power spectrum, and x-ray absorption. Line spread function data show that in the PbI<SUB>2</SUB> arrays, most of the signal in the gap between pixels is collected, which is important for high,DQE. The leakage current noise agrees with the expected shot noise value with only a small enhancement at high bias voltages. The noise power spectrum under x-ray exposure is reported and compared to the spatial resolution information. The MTF is close to the ideal sinc function, but is reduced by the contribution of K-fluorescence in the PbI<SUB>2</SUB> film for which we provide new experimental evidence. The role of noise power aliasing in the DQE and the effect of slight image spreading are discussed. Initial studies of HgI<SUB>2</SUB> as the photoconductor material show very promising results with high x-ray sensitivity and low leakage current.