The comparison of a thin-film ZnO nanodevice with silicon-based electronic devices for diagnostic X-ray beam detection

Abstract

Radiation detector devices are of fundamental importance for diagnosing diseases and helping to choose the most appropriate medical treatment. Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films are not usually applied as X-ray photon sensors; however, this study intends to present potential results that enable its application for medical diagnostic use. The damage of the ionizing radiation in typical electronic components (such as transistors) occurs due to the defects generated either in the semiconductor crystal or in the insulating oxide layer, which compromises their long-term use as X-ray detectors. This study also provides some comparisons between the proposed ZnO nanodevice and other semiconductor devices, including photodiode, phototransistor, bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and MOSFET. Based on these comparisons, some advantages and disadvantages of using ZnO thin film will be discussed. Basically, it can be summarized that, although the other semiconductor devices produced a higher intense response, the innovative ZnO thin film-based device presented interesting results that make it promising for radiation detection applications. Furthermore, it has advantages such as superior physical resistance and radiation hardness when compared to ionization chambers and transistor-type devices, respectively.