Jeffrey Jon Shaw

Enhanced a-Si/CsI-based flat-panel x-ray detector for mammography

The GE Senographe 2000D, the first full field digital mammography system based on amorphous silicon (a-Si) flat panel arrays and a cesium iodide (CsI) scintillator, has been in clinical use for over five years. One of the major advantages of this technology platform over competing platforms is the inherent flexibility of the design. Specifically, it is possible to optimize the x-ray conversion layer (scintillator) independently of the light conversion layer (panel) and vice versa. This is illustrated by a new detector utilizing the same amorphous silicon (a-Si) flat panel design, but an optimized scintillator layer, which provides up to 15% higher DQE than the existing detector. By utilizing the existing flat panel with an optimized scintillator layer, it is possible to significantly boost performance without changes to the panel design. Future enhancements to both the panel and scintillator will raise the DQE at zero frequency to more than 80%. The a-Si/CsI platform is especially well suited to advanced applications utilizing very low doses.

Laser micromachining and energy field manufacturing

Micro/nano material processing has become the cornerstone technology for the production of many modern products, and the unique features of laser energy make laser one of the most powerful tools for micro/nano manufacturing. Laser micromachining is flexible and can replicate features with high accuracy, but the manufacturing cost and throughput are normally not competitive enough for mass production. Thus, the optimal engineering solution usually requires integration with other energy fields and other processes. With the case study of a high aspect ratio metal structure, this paper shows the common engineering contradiction between quality and productivity, and highlights the value of new methodologies of process innovation found in Intelligent Energy Field Manufacturing.Micro/nano material processing has become the cornerstone technology for the production of many modern products, and the unique features of laser energy make laser one of the most powerful tools for micro/nano manufacturing. Laser micromachining is flexible and can replicate features with high accuracy, but the manufacturing cost and throughput are normally not competitive enough for mass production. Thus, the optimal engineering solution usually requires integration with other energy fields and other processes. With the case study of a high aspect ratio metal structure, this paper shows the common engineering contradiction between quality and productivity, and highlights the value of new methodologies of process innovation found in Intelligent Energy Field Manufacturing.