1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates generally to a sensor module including a sensor and processing electronics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sensor modules that include both a sensor and a processor (e.g., a general purpose processor or an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit, or ASIC) can be useful in a variety of optical, electrical, and electronic applications. In some implementations, it can be desirable to arrange the sensor module so that the sensor and processor are positioned relatively close to one another. For example, analog signals can experience parasitic losses as the signals are transmitted over a distance, which can degrade the accuracy and quality of the detected signal. Positioning the sensor near the processor can reduce or eliminate parasitic losses associated with signal transmission between the sensor and the processor. The processor can then perform various preconditioning and/or preprocessing operations, such as converting analog signals to digital signals, within the sensor module. The processor can transmit the processed digital signals to an external control module, which can be located far from the sensor, with minimal or no parasitic transmission losses to the signals.
One problem associated with positioning the processor near the sensor is that the heat generated by the processor may be transmitted to the sensor or the sensor substrate. It can be undesirable to transmit heat to the sensor for a variety of reasons. For example, the heat can cause damage due to a mismatch of the thermal coefficients among the parts. Heating the sensor can also be undesirable by inducing increased temperatures on the sensor that can damage sensor components or that can interfere with the signals detected by the sensor. Therefore, while it can be advantageous to position the processor near the sensor to improve the quality of the signals detected and transmitted from the sensor, it is also important in some implementations to prevent the sensor from overheating due to operation of the nearby processor.
Another consideration when designing sensor modules is ensuring that the sensor module (e.g., including the sensor and the processor) is compact or small enough to comply with the overall system design requirements, which can be important whether the modules are employed individually or are assembled in an array. For example, in some arrangements, an array of sensor modules is used to detect signals received in various locations or at different angles. In some applications, an array of sensor modules can be used for imaging applications, such as for x-ray detection in a computed tomography (CT) device. The array can be a one-dimensional string or a two-dimensional (2D) array. CT devices can be used in a variety of applications, including medical imaging, industrial imaging, nondestructive testing, imaging subsurface minerals, and various other uses. Because the sensor modules are positioned adjacent one another in the array in some implementations, the sensor, the processor, and other components must fit within their associated area in the array. Moreover, because there are neighboring sensor modules on each side of a particular sensor module, it is important to design transmission elements connecting the sensor module to the external control module so that they do not interfere with neighboring sensor modules. In other imaging applications, sensor modules can be used to detect sound waves within an ultrasound system. In yet other implementations, sensor modules can be employed in nuclear imaging applications, such as in positron emission tomography (PET) scans and gamma ray imaging applications. In nuclear imaging applications, a sensor (or sensor array in some embodiments) can be used to image an object (e.g., a patient) that has been provided with (e.g., ingested or been injected with) a radioactive tracer material.
Accordingly, it can be advantageous to provide a compact sensor module that positions the sensor close to processing electronics while ensuring that the sensor and/or sensor substrate is sufficiently insulated from heat generated by the processing electronics.