Development of an x-ray detector based on polymer- dispersed liquid crystal

Abstract

The applications of active matrix flat-panel imagers (AMFPIs) in large-area x-ray imaging systems have increased over time but are still severely limited owing to its pixel resolution, complex fabrication processes, and high cost. As a solution, x-ray light valve (XLV) technology was introduced and expected to have a better resolution and contrast ratio than those of AMFPI, owing to its micrometer level of the LC cells and signal amplification by an external light source. The twisting angle of the LC cells was changed by charge carrier signals created in a photoconductor layer against x-rays, and the diagnostic images from XLV were acquired from the transmittance of the external light source. However, there was a possibility that the photoconductor layer may be crystallized or degenerated due to the application of high temperatures for sealing the LC layer during the fabrication process. To solve such problems, polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs), which do not need high temperature for the sealing process of the LC layer, are used in this study instead of typical LC cells. A photoconductor and PDLC are combined to develop an x-ray detector. An external light source and optical sensor are used to investigate the light transmission of the PDLC. The PDLCs used in this paper do not need polarizers and are self-adhesive. Hence, the transmittance is very high in the transparent state, which allows for a linear x-ray response and sufficient dynamic range in digital radiography.