A small X-ray chip that can be installed in a smartphone is developed
A research team at the University of Texas at Dallas has developed a 'small-sized X-ray chip that can be mounted on a smartphone.' The X-ray chip uses millimeter waves that are harmless to the human body to achieve X-ray vision.
Array of 296-GHz CMOS Concurrent Transceiver Pixels With Phase and Amplitude Extraction Circuits for Improving Reflection-Mode Imaging Resolution | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore
Researchers Make Big Strides with Superman-Inspired Imager Chip - News Center | The University of Texas at Dallas
https://news.utdallas.edu/science-technology/superman-inspired-imager-chip-2024/
There is a great demand for X-ray technology in the industrial and security fields, such as product inspection in factories and baggage inspection at airports. Existing X-ray devices generally use X-rays, but it has been pointed out that X-rays may have some adverse effects on inspectors who handle them on a daily basis, so measures such as installing shields are being taken at each inspection site.
The research team focused on a technology called 'terahertz imaging' that uses radio waves of 200 GHz to 400 GHz as a safe fluoroscopy technology that does not use X-rays. After many years of trial and error, they reported in March 2024 that they had succeeded in developing a small fluoroscopy chip using terahertz imaging.
Below is a test board equipped with a fluoroscopy chip. The size of the fluoroscopy chip is 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm, so it can be installed in small devices such as smartphones. In addition, the fluoroscopy chip is designed to be used only at close range to protect privacy, and the object to be observed must be brought within 1 inch (2.54 cm) when performing fluoroscopy.
The University of Texas at Dallas is promoting the use of the fluoroscopy chip in fields such as product inspection. The research team also plans to design a fluoroscopy chip that can be used at a distance of 5 inches (12.7 cm) in the future.
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