Solid State Gamma Ray Imaging Detectors, Novel Packaging

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Proposed is advancement of the state-of-the-art for pixilated Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) gamma ray imaging array detector assemblies to where their advantages of energy and spatial resolution in a room temperature detector may be exploited with minimal cost and risk in applications such as large area arrays for in vivo imaging and nuclear medicine. More specifically, the aim is to produce detector arrays for the imaging research community by applying to CZT-ASIC readout assemblies recently-developed techniques for packaging and production of flip chips. The approach involves special metallizations and encapsulation of the devices prior to assembly, as well as low-temperature bump soldering techniques. These will be used to inexpensively reproduce, in quantity, multiple CZT-gamma ray detector arrays which were developed at the University of Arizona. Particular emphasis will be placed on those technological aspects that relate to processing of the detector materials for manufacturing in large quantity at low cost. The new techniques will be implemented with the aim of scaling up to large-scale production. The immediate commercial opportunity is in supplying the research community a reliable supply of functional imaging array detector assemblies. These devices have applications in planar imaging, SPECT imaging systems, and as surgical probes. Some possible applications are mammography, clinical cardiology, in vivo auto radiography, neuroscience studies, and lymphatic system imaging. There exists a huge potential for in vivo gene expression studies in small animals. Outside of medial and biological uses, detector arrays are needed by NASA for stellar X-and gamma ray imaging systems.