Sunday, May 11, 2025
5/11/2025
Perovskite Based Foldable and Sensitive X-ray Imaging Detectors for Trauma Care - Perovskite Based Foldable and Sensitive X-ray Imaging Detectors for Trauma Care Project Summary/Abstract X-ray imaging techniques including plain x-ray, tomosynthesis and computed tomography are the most common and indispensable imaging modalities for screening and diagnosis. Trauma care needs the rapid deployment of medical diagnostic devices and data collection to examine the injury of patient in complicated environments, such as outside the hospitals or imaging-centers. Portable medical imaging devices such as X- ray imaging devices are notably critical to address these needs. Since almost all present X-ray detectors are made of the combination of scintillators with photodetector arrays, the portability of X-ray detectors is limited by the rigid ceramic scintillators. Exposure to ionizing radiation is known to increase the risk of cancer due to the damaging of DNA by X-ray. The current detectors are not sensitive enough so that a large dose is need to achieve enough signal to noise ratio in imaging. The overall objective of this project is to yield a new generation of X-ray detectors that are foldable, sensitive by overcoming the limitation of state-of-the-art detectors using metal halide perovskites to directly convert X-ray into electrical signal. Direct conversion detectors have better resolution than indirection ones, because it doesnot have the issue of nondirectional light emission in scintillators. Perovskites are promising X-ray detection material by combining the strong stopping to X-ray and excellent charge extraction capability. These detectors will be made to be like Yoga mats so that they can be folded for easy carrying and quickly rolling-out or wrapping the point of care for inspection. A perovskite filled membrane (PFM) structure will be used for multiple layer structure construction which have been demonstrated to have the high sensitivity and easy to upscaled to large area for practical applications. Our specific objectives are: (Aim1) establishing perovskite compositions, stacking structure and material fabrication process to develop sensitive PFMs with large mobility-lifetime product, low noise, and excellent uniformity over a practical X-ray imaging device area; (Aim2) developing a material design and process to integrate the X-ray detection perovskite films into readout electronics with a robust mechanical connection and uniform electronic connection using several soft materials based bonding techniques, The proposed technology has the potential to offer: (1) a factor of 10- 100 X patient imaging dose reduction; (2) increased imaging resolution; and (3) a flexibility and light weight detector. The project leverages a recently discovered application of lead halide perovskites for ionization radiation detection with demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity compared to the current mammography detectors; Reducing the imaging dose will decrease the risk of radiation-induced cancer for patients, making the screening process safer. Increasing the resolution will potentially lead to improved detection and analysis of features in injury or sickness. The light-weight foldable detectors enable new applications in field for trauma care.
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