X-ray detector including scintillator channel separator capable of improving sensitivity of X-ray detector
First Claim
1. A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting essentially ofa first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels;
- andfirst and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A novel scintillator channel separator is constructed of a metal thin film and at least two polymer sheets for sandwiching the metal thin film. The scintillator channel separator is used in a scintillator type X-ray detector employed in a third-generation, or fourth-generation X-ray CT system. This scintillator channel separator optically separates scintillation light emitted from scintillator elements from each other within a plurality of scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array. The scintillator channel separator includes at least a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; and first and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light. The first thin film is sandwiched between the first major surfaces of the first and second polymer sheets, and the second major surfaces of the first and second polymer sheets are stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, so that the thin film and the first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator.
56 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting essentially of
a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; - and
first and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- and
-
8. A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting essentially of:
-
a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; first and second polymer sheets having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being struck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator; and a second thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels, whereby both of said first thin film and said second thin film are sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An X-ray detecting apparatus comprising at least:
-
a scintillator array constructed of a plurality of scintillator elements for emitting scintillation light upon receipt of an X-ray; a photodiode array constructed of a plurality of photodiodes capable of detecting scintillation light emitted from said scintillator elements; and a scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of said X-ray scintillator array, said scintillator channel separator consisting essentially of; a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; and first and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. An X-ray detecting apparatus comprising at least:
-
a scintillator array constructed of a plurality of scintillator elements for emitting scintillation light upon receipt of an X-ray; a photodiode array constructed of a plurality of photodiodes capable of detecting scintillation light emitted from said scintillator elements; and a scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of said X-ray scintillator array, said scintillator channel separator consisting essentially of; a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; first and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator; and a second thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels, whereby both of said first thin film and said second thin film are sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting of a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels;
- and
first and second polymer sheets having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator.
- and
-
30. A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting of a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels;
-
first and second polymer sheets having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator; and a second thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels, whereby both of said first thin film and said second thin film are sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets.
-
Specification