Method for assembling tiled detectors for ionizing radiation based image detection

Abstract

The present technique provides a multi-tile detector and a process for assembling the multi-tile detector using a flexible structure and intermediate electrical connections. The present technique minimizes edge gaps between adjacent detector tiles by coupling the detector tiles to the flexible structure and then flexing the flexible structure to close the edge gaps. Intermediate electrical connections, such as interlayer solder bumps, also may be used to minimize visible artifacts associated with tiling of the detector tiles. The present technique also may use a plurality of soldering materials having different melting temperatures to facilitate multiple soldering steps that are nondestructive of previous soldering steps.

1 - 38 . (canceled)  
   
   
       39 . A method for assembling detector tiles for an imaging system, comprising the acts of: 
 placing a detector tile on a die;    aligning a bump interconnect between the detector tile and the die; and    electrically connecting the detector tile to the die using the bump interconnect.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the act of placing the detector tile comprises the act of disposing an ionizing photon detector material on the die.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the act of placing the detector tile comprises the act of disposing a Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride material on the die.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the act of placing the detector tile comprises the act of disposing a Cadmium-Telluride material on the die.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the act of aligning the bump interconnect comprises the act of matching the bump interconnect on a die with the bump interconnect on a detector element of the detector tile.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the act of aligning the bump interconnect comprises the act of matching a plurality of bump interconnects with a plurality of detector elements of the detector tile.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the act of electrically connecting the detector tile to the die comprises the act of intermediately connecting the plurality of bump interconnects with the plurality of detector elements within a perimeter of the detector tile.  
   
   
       46 . A method for assembling detector tiles for an imaging system, comprising the acts of: 
 placing a detector tile on a die;    aligning a bump interconnect between the detector tile and the die; and    electrically connecting the detector tile to the die using the bump interconnect, wherein the act of electrically connecting the detector tile to the die comprises the act of reflow soldering the bump interconnect to a detector element of the detector tile.    
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the act of reflow soldering the bump interconnect is performed at a temperature nondestructive of other elements of the detector tile and the die.  
   
   
       48 . A method for assembling detector tiles for an imaging system, comprising the acts of: 
 placing a detector tile on a die;    aligning a bump interconnect between the detector tile and the die;    electrically connecting the detector tile to the die using the bump interconnect;    repeating the acts of placing, aligning, and electrically connecting to provide a plurality of detector/die tiles;    bending a flexible panel to a curved shape;    attaching the plurality of detector/die tiles to the flexible panel in the curved shape; and    inversely bending the flexible panel to a desired shape to close gaps between the detector/die tiles.    
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the act of bending the flexible panel comprises the act of applying a pressure to at least one side of the flexible panel.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the act of attaching the plurality of detector/die tiles comprises the act of picking and placing each of the detector/die tiles onto the flexible panel in an edge-to-edge configuration having an undesirable gap between edges of one or more adjacent pairs of the detector/die tiles.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the act of inversely bending the flexible panel comprises the act of releasing a bending force applied to the flexible panel.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the act of inversely bending the flexible panel comprises the act of partially releasing the flexible panel to the desired shape, which has a relatively flatter curvature than the curved shape.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 48 , comprising the act of attaching the plurality of detector/die tiles to a circuit board to form a multi-detector module.  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the act of attaching the plurality of detector/die tiles comprises the act of forming intermediate connections between each of the plurality of detector/die tiles and the circuit board.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the act of forming the intermediate connections comprises the act of reflowing a solder bump-array between surfaces of the plurality of detector/die tiles and the circuit board.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the act of reflowing the solder bump-array comprises the act of heating the solder bump-array to a temperature nondestructive of the previously connected bump interconnect.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the act of forming intermediate connections comprises the act of extending the intermediate connections through vias in each die of the detector/die tiles.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 53 , comprising the act of tiling a plurality of the multi-detector modules to a primary circuit board for the imaging system.  
   
   
       59 . The method of claim and  58 , wherein the acts of attaching the plurality of detector/die tiles and tiling the plurality of multi-detector modules comprises the act of forming intermediate connections between each of the plurality of detector/die tiles and the circuit board and between each circuit board and the primary circuit board.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the act of forming the intermediate connections comprises the act of reflowing a plurality of inner-perimeter solder bumps.  
   
   
       61 - 86 . (canceled)