Anti-scatter grids and collimator designs, and their motion, fabrication and assembly

• US 20030026386A1
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creatv Microtech, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Creatv Microtech, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tang, Cha-Mei, Makarova, Olga V.
• Granted Patent: US 6,987,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/154
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/025 using multiple collimators, e.g. Bucky screens; other devices for eliminating undesired or dispersed radiation

Abstract

Grids and collimators, for use with electromagnetic energy emitting devices, include at least a metal layer that is formed, for example, by electroplating/electroforming or casting. The metal layer includes top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of solid integrated walls. Each of the solid integrated walls extends from the top to bottom surface and has a plurality of side surfaces. The side surfaces of the solid integrated walls are arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer. At least some of the walls also can include projections extending into the respective openings formed by the walls. The projections can be of various shapes and sizes, and are arranged so that a total amount of wall material intersected by a line propagating in a direction along an edge of the grid is substantially the same as another total amount of wall material intersected by another line propagating in another direction substantially parallel to the edge of the grid at any distance from the edge. Methods to fabricate these grids using copper, lead, nickel, gold, any other electroplating/electroforming materials or low melting temperature metals are described.

Claims

1. A grid, adaptable for use with an electromagnetic energy emitting device, comprising:

at least one layer comprising a plurality of materials, arranged to form top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of integrated, intersecting walls, each of which extending from said top surface to said bottom surface and having a plurality of side surfaces, said side surfaces of said walls being arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through said layer.

2. A grid as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of materials includes a plurality of metals.

3. A grid as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of materials includes at least two of the following materials;

copper, lead, lead/tin and silver.

4. A grid as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said openings includes a scintillator material therein which is adapted to scintillate electromagnetic energy.

5. A grid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of said layers stacked upon each other such that respective said openings in said layers are substantially aligned with each other.

6. A grid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one other layer comprising at least one material, arranged to form top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of integrated, intersecting walls, each of which extending from said top surface to said bottom surface and having a plurality of side surfaces, said side surfaces of said walls being arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through said at least one other layer; and

wherein said at least one other layer and said at least one layer are stacked, such that respective openings in said at least one other layer and in said at least one layer are substantially aligned with each other.

7. A grid as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said walls extend at substantially a 90 angle with respect to said top and bottom surfaces.

8. A grid as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least some of said walls extend at an angle other than 90 degrees with respect to said top and bottom surfaces to form said grid as a focused grid.

9. A grid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate, attached to one of said at least one layer.

10. A grid as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said at least one layer is adapted to couple to a grid moving device which is adapted to move said grid with respect to said electromagnetic energy emitting device.

11. A grid as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said openings has a projection extending therein.

12. A grid, adaptable for use with an electromagnetic energy emitting device, comprising:

at least one layer comprising at least one of the following materials;

copper, lead, lead/tin and silver; and

said at least one layer is arranged to form top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of integrated, intersecting walls, each of which extending from said top surface to said bottom surface and having a plurality of side surfaces, said side surfaces of said walls being arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through said layer.

13. A grid as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

at least one of said openings includes a scintillator material therein which is adapted to scintillate electromagnetic energy.

14. A grid as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of said layers stacked upon each other such that respective said openings in said layers are substantially aligned with each other.

15. A grid as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

at least one other layer comprising at least one material, arranged to form top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of integrated, intersecting walls, each of which extending from said top surface to said bottom surface and having a plurality of side surfaces, said side surfaces of said walls being arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through said at least one other layer; and

wherein said at least one other layer and said at least one layer are stacked, such that respective openings in said at least one other layer and in said at least one layer are substantially aligned with each other.

16. A grid as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said walls extend at substantially a 90 angle with respect to said top and bottom surfaces.

17. A grid as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

at least some of said walls extend at an angle other than 90 degrees with respect to said top and bottom surfaces to form said grid as a focused grid.

18. A grid as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a substrate, attached to one of said at least one layer.

19. A grid as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said at least one layer is adapted to couple to a grid moving device which is adapted to move said grid with respect to said electromagnetic energy emitting device.

20. A method of manufacturing a grid, having at least one layer comprising a plurality of walls defining openings therein, and being adaptable for use with an electromagnetic energy emitting device, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a masking material on a graphite substrate;

removing portions of said masking material to create openings in said masking material exposing areas of said graphite substrate;

placing a material in said openings in said masking material onto said exposed areas of said graphite substrate, said material forming a layer of said grid;

removing said graphite substrate from said material; and

removing remaining portions of said masking material from said material.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said masking material includes a positive photoresist; and

said step of removing said portions of said masking material comprises;

exposing said portions of said masking material to a developing energy; and

removing said exposed portions of said masking material.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said masking material includes a negative photoresist; and

said step of removing said portions of said masking material comprises;

exposing areas other than said portions of said masking material to a developing energy; and

removing said portions of said masking material.

23. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said step of removing said portions of said masking material comprises cutting or ablating said portions of said masking material.

24. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said material placing step includes electroforming said material on said exposed areas of said graphite substrate.

25. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said material placing step includes electroplating said material on said exposed areas of said graphite substrate.

26. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said material includes at least one of the following;

copper, lead, lead/tin, silver.

27. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said graphite substrate removing step includes abrading said graphite material from said layer.

28. A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

forming a plurality of said layers by performing said steps recited in claim 20 to form each said layer; and

stacking said layers to form said grid.

29. A method of manufacturing a grid, having at least one layer comprising a plurality of walls defining openings therein, and being adaptable for use with an electromagnetic energy emitting device, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a masking material on a base material, said masking material including a negative photoresist;

exposing areas of said masking material to an exposing energy;

removing portions of said masking material other than said exposed areas to create openings in said masking material exposing areas of said base material;

placing a material in said openings in said masking material onto said exposed areas of said base material, said material forming a layer of said grid;

removing said base material from said material; and

removing remaining portions of said masking material from said material.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein:

said material placing step includes electroforming said material on said exposed areas of said base material.

31. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein:

said material placing step includes electroplating said material on said exposed areas of said base material.

32. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein:

said material includes at least one of the following;

copper, lead, lead/tin, silver.

33. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein:

said base material removing step includes abrading said base material from said layer.

34. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein:

said base material includes a graphite substrate.

35. A method as claimed in claim 29, further comprising:

forming a plurality of said layers by performing said steps recited in claim 29 to form each said layer; and

stacking said layers to form said grid.