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Improving Electronic Circuit and System Reliability Using Embedded Prognostics

Award Information
Agency: Department of Energy
Branch: N/A
Contract: DE-FG03-01ER83183
Agency Tracking Number: 65672S01-I
Amount: $100,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2001
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
310 Via Vera Cruz Suite 107
San Marcos, CA 92069
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Robert Burress
 Director of Advanced Packing Program
 (760) 752-1195
 rburress@aguilatech.com
Business Contact
 M. Albert Captoe
Title: President
Phone: (760) 752-1199
Email: macapote@aguilatech.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

65672 Manufacturing methods for CdZnTe gamma and x-ray pixel detectors, used in medical imaging, are relatively immature. One difficulty with CdZnTe as a detector material is that CdZnTe is more brittle than silicon, so standard bonding approaches frequently result in craters in the detector as well as bond failures. This has forced detector manufacturers to resort to more labor-intensive and costly indium bump bonding techniques. This project will develop mass production techniques for CdZnTe-silicon readout assemblies at low cost. The encapsulated CdZnTe-silicon assembly will be based upon previously developed pre-encapsulated flip chip fabrication technology and low-temperature soldering techniques, with particular emphasis on large quantity manufacturing at low cost. Phase I will develop, qualify, and build test assemblies of CdZnTe into silicon-based array detector electronics, adaptating the flip chip technology with a pixel pitch of 380 microns. Improvements to the solders used to assemble the devices will also be developed, and the devices will be tested at a gamma-ray imaging center. Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by awardee: In nuclear medicine, arrays of CdZnTe array detectors can create superior images of injected radiotracers, aiding in removal of tumors. Other applications range from mammography to brain activity monitoring. In nuclear non-proliferation, the imaging of gamma sources has the potential to detect illicit transport of fissile materials.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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