High efficiency, high resolution, real-time radiographic imaging system
First Claim
1. A scintillating optical fiber comprising:
- a) an inner plastic core fiber which is transparent in at least a portion of the visible radiation spectrum and which has an index of refraction of about 1.45 or greater, the inner plastic core fiber comprising;
1) a polymeric matrix material;
2) a metal moiety; and
3) an organic quench-resistant fluorescent material;
b) a plastic cladding material which surrounds the inner plastic core fiber and which has an index of refraction which is less than the index of refraction of the inner plastic core fiber by a difference of about 0.1 or more.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A new scintillating optical fiber is used in an array as a scintillator plate for imaging with high energy radiation, particles and the like. The scintillating optical fiber has an inner plastic core fiber which is transparent to visible radiation and has an index of refraction of about 1.45 or greater. The inner plastic core fiber has a plastic cladding material which has an index of refraction less than that of the inner plastic core fiber. The inner plastic core fiber contains a polymeric matrix material; a metal moiety; and an organic quench-resistant fluorescent material. The scintillator plates are useful in producing high efficiency and high resolution radiographic systems for x-ray medical diagnosis or non-destructive inspection as well as non-destructive inspection with thermal neutrons. In medical x-ray applications, such as mammography, the need for lower doses of x-rays for a given image quality is met and exceeded by the higher detection efficiency of the scintillator plates and their associated electronic read-out system.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A scintillating optical fiber comprising:
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a) an inner plastic core fiber which is transparent in at least a portion of the visible radiation spectrum and which has an index of refraction of about 1.45 or greater, the inner plastic core fiber comprising; 1) a polymeric matrix material; 2) a metal moiety; and 3) an organic quench-resistant fluorescent material; b) a plastic cladding material which surrounds the inner plastic core fiber and which has an index of refraction which is less than the index of refraction of the inner plastic core fiber by a difference of about 0.1 or more. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A scintillator plate to convert penetrating radiation incident thereon, to visible radiation to form a photon image which comprises an array of scintillating optical fibers, the axis of each fiber being substantially parallel to the path of the incident penetrating radiation, each scintillating optical fiber comprising:
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a) an inner plastic core fiber which is transparent in at least a portion of the visible radiation spectrum and which has an index of refraction of about 1.45 or greater, the inner plastic core fiber comprising; 1) a polymeric matrix material; 2) a metal moiety; and 3) an organic quench-resistant fluorescent material; and
,b) a plastic cladding material which surrounds the inner plastic core fiber and which has an index of refraction which is less than the index of refraction of the inner plastic core fiber by a difference of about 0.1 or more. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A radiographic imaging system for producing an instant image of a subject, the system comprising in order:
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A) a source of penetrating radiation for traversing at least a portion of the subject; B) a position to locate the subject to be imaged; C) a scintillator plate to convert penetrating radiation incident thereon, to visible radiation to form a photon image; D) a charge coupled device camera to convert the photon image to a modulated electrical signal; and E) a monitor to convert the modulated electrical signal to a visible image or to capture the signal for data processing;
wherein the scintillator plate comprises an array of scintillating optical fibers, the axis of each fiber being substantially parallel to the path of the incident penetrating radiation, each scintillating optical fiber comprising;a) an inner plastic core fiber which is transparent in at least a portion of the visible radiation spectrum and which has an index of refraction of about 1.45 or greater, the inner plastic core fiber comprising; 1) a polymeric matrix material; 2) a metal moiety; and 3) an organic quench-resistant fluorescent material; b) a plastic cladding material which surrounds the inner plastic core fiber and which has an index of refraction which is less than the index of refraction of the inner plastic core fiber by a difference of about 0.1 or more. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification