Siemens Healthineers opens US$116M photon-counting sensor plant in Germany
The Photon Counting Sensor Fab is the only facility of its kind in Europe and will produce semiconductor sensors used in advanced X-ray imaging.
GERMANY—Siemens Healthineers has opened a semiconductor fabrication plant at its Forchheim site in Germany to manufacture cadmium telluride (CdTe) sensors for photon counting computed tomography (CT) scanners.
The Photon Counting Sensor Fab is the only facility of its kind in Europe and will produce semiconductor sensors used in advanced X-ray imaging.
Photon counting technology can produce sharper CT images while potentially reducing patients’ radiation exposure.
Siemens Healthineers invested approximately €100 million (US$116 million) in constructing and equipping the facility, which covers about 9,500 square metres.
The project will also create more than 100 jobs. Construction began in 2023.
At the opening ceremony, Bernd Montag, chief executive officer of Siemens Healthineers, welcomed about 300 guests, including political and healthcare representatives, project partners, and employees.
Expanding sensor production
The new plant will allow Siemens Healthineers to expand its production capacity as demand for photon counting CT scanners increases.
The company already operates a semiconductor sensor production facility in Japan, but that site is approaching its capacity limits.
The Forchheim facility will provide an additional production base close to the company’s CT development and manufacturing operations.
“We do not want to rely on a single-site strategy in Japan,” said Uwe Rückl, head of CT Detectors & Crystals at Siemens Healthineers.
Manufacturing the sensors involves several stages.
The plant processes high purity cadmium and tellurium, which are combined at temperatures of about 1,100 degrees Celsius.
It takes approximately 10 weeks for the material to develop into a single crystal.
The production process begins with graphite coating of quartz components, followed by the formation of seed and polycrystals and controlled crystal growth.
Workers then cut and polish the crystals to submillimetre precision. In a cleanroom, lithographic techniques are used to create the pixel structure required for the sensors.
The completed sensors are subsequently installed in photon counting CT scanners at the company’s CT manufacturing facility.
Environmental controls
Siemens Healthineers has also installed systems to manage emissions and wastewater from the production process.
The company invested a single-digit million-euro amount in dedicated treatment systems to handle hazardous materials.
The new building has received LEED Platinum certification and incorporates measures designed to reduce its environmental impact.
The company reuses heat generated during production to heat the building, while a rooftop photovoltaic system with a capacity of 170 kilowatts peak generates electricity on site.
The site also includes native plants, shade-providing vegetation, and light-colored sealed surfaces designed to reduce heat accumulation.
Reduced outdoor lighting helps limit light pollution and protect nocturnal wildlife.
The landscaping further supports local biodiversity, while an LED lighting system contributes to the facility’s energy efficiency.
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