ROD LENS ARRAY COUPLED LINEAR RADIATION DETECTOR WITH RADIATION COMING FROM A SIDE DIRECTION OF SCINTILLATING MATERIAL

• US 20190324157A1
• Filed: 11/24/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Linbo Yang
• Original Assignee: Linbo Yang
• Inventors: Yang, Linbo
• Application Number:
  US16/199,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20190324157A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2002 Optical details, e.g. reflecting or diffusing layers
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20185 Coupling means between the photodiode and the scintillator, e.g. optical couplings using adhesives with wavelength-shifting fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/202 the detector being a crystal
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14629 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14663 Indirect radiation imagers, e.g. using luminescent members

Abstract

A linear radiation detector array system that is based on a unique focusing principle reduces or eliminates the X-ray radiation damage on the electrical components of the detector system. The system includes a layer of scintillating material, a rod lens array, and an array of image sensors. The layer of scintillating material, such as Gd₂O₂S:Tb (GOS or GADOX), CsI(TI), CdWO₄, or GAGG:Ce is placed on an image plane and is used to convert the impinging radiation energies into visible light which can be detected efficiently by the image sensor array. The rod lens array is used to transmit and focus the visible light after the radiation flux has been converted. The photon energy of the visible light is collected with a scanning image sensor array.

Claims

1. An radiation detector system comprising:

a scintillating material layer,

a rod lens array, and

an image sensor array;

wherein

when a test specimen is exposed to an radiation beam from an radiation source, said radiation beam passes through the test specimen, enters said scintillating material layer from a side and excites said scintillating material layer proportionally to radiation density patterns of the test specimen, and

a converted optical image from said scintillating material layer is focused by said rod lens array onto said image sensor array, a reproduced image of the test specimen thereafter being read out of said image sensor array; and

wherein

an optical path passing directly through said rod lens array, and said image sensor array is offset by an angle relative to a centerline of a radiation flux path from said radiation source, such that detecting components of said radiation detector system are located away from said radiation flux path.

2. The radiation detector system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

a lead or tungsten shield with an aperture therein is positioned between said radiation source and the test specimen.