Novel flexible sensor array integrated with a Flex

A flexible active matrix image array is of great interest for both military and commercial applications. Such bendable image arrays allow a variable focal plane which eliminates bulky optics. Such image sensor on a non-fragile polymer substrate also enables a large-size, portable X-ray imager for battle-field medical screening, for ship, airplane, bridge and building structural inspections and for security inspections. The core technologies involving such non-fragile large size imagers are image sensor pixels and driving/readout circuits to collect image information from each sensor element. In this application, we propose a flexible, high pixel count image arrays made with semiconductor polymers. Integrating such image array with a non-fragile, flexible backpanel with pixel readout circuit forms a large-size active matrix imager. Such readout electronics can be made with a-Si TFT demonstrated at ASU-FDC, or metal-oxide TFT demonstrated at CBRITE. By placing a X-ray scintillation layer in front of the sensor layer, a large-size, non-fragile X-ray imager can be constructed. By selecting a polymer sensing material with broad band width (such IR material has been demonstrated by CBRITE under a DARPA program (HARDI, BAA 06-048), an IR image can be revealed or displayed with a flexible AMEPD or AMOLED display demonstrated at ASU-FPC.