Multi-spectral and phase contrast X-ray detectors for advanced radiation imaging applications

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X-ray detectors represent a $2B USD market globally that is growing at almost 10% CAGR with the increasing adoption of digital X-ray technology into the mainstream. X-ray detectors are critical enabling components in the medical, industrial, security, automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, food processing and defense sectors. However, X-ray imaging has fundamentally not changed for over 100 years since Roentgen discovered them. The objective of the proposed research is to enable a new generation of X-ray detectors for multi-spectral and phase contrast X-ray imaging, two exciting approaches to X-ray imaging that help discriminate between materials and visualize low density materials, respectively. Material discrimination and low density materials imaging (e.g. soft tissue) are both well-known weaknesses of traditional X-ray imaging. The research objective will be accomplished by creating new radiation detectors using a variety of circuit, device and process techniques, all the while using industry standard fabrication processes to ensure a rapid transition out of the research and into the market. The PI has already considerable experience translating high tech research from the lab to a start-up company, KA Imaging, that he co-founded. Other merits of the proposed research include leveraging well-established large area electronics fabrication infrastructure and the mature silicon circuit design techniques developed over the past three decades. All design, fabrication and test will occur at the Waterloo Giga-to-Nano Electronics Lab, a facility that is unique in North America in its ability to build and characterize complete prototype X-ray detectors. This research will address the critical bottlenecks that have been holding multi-spectral and phase contrast X-ray detection technology from entering the mainstream. The significant industrial activity associated with digital X-ray serves to underscore the critical nature of the technology. Although dwarfed by giants such as General Electric south of the border and Philips and Siemens in Europe, Canada has a growing presence in the X-ray detector market. For example, Analogic Canada Corporation makes high resolution detectors for mammography and security and is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec while another, Teledyne DALSA Imaging Corporation makes real-time X-ray detectors for medical and industrial sectors and is based in Waterloo, Ontario. Redlen Corporation from Vancouver, British Columbia is applying its Cadmium Zinc Telluride detector for medical Computed Tomography and security while KA Imaging, a University of Waterloo startup company is now bringing unique multi-spectral X-ray detector technology to market for medical, industrial, and security applications. The proposed research seeks to innovate new technology and to inspire and train talented individuals necessary for this sector and the associated Canadian companies to grow and come into their prime as large, global players.