Radiation detector

• US 5,391,879 A
• Filed: 11/19/1993
• Issued: 02/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Morrone, Luciano W., Tran, Nang T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US08/154,962
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 250/366, 250/367, 250/368, 250/370.09, 250/370.11
• US Class Current: 250/367
• 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 1/20187 Position of the scintillator with respect to the photodiode, e.g. photodiode surrounding the crystal, the crystal surrounding the photodiode, shape or size of the scintillator

Abstract

A radiation detector containing: (a) a fiber optic network; (b) an array of pixelized phosphors on the X-ray incidence side of the fiber optic network; and (c) an array of pixelized sensors optically coupled to the other side of the fiber optic network, wherein: (i) the ratio of the surface area of a phosphor pixel to the surface area of a sensor pixel is in the range of about 1:1 to 1:64, and (ii) the ratio of the surface area of the core of each individual optical fiber of the fiber optic network to the surface area of a phosphor pixel is in the range of about 1:4 to 1:160.

Claims

1. An X-ray radiation detector comprising:

(a) a fiber optic network having an X-ray incident side and an other side;

(b) an array of pixelized phosphors on the X-ray incidence side of said fiber optic network; and

(c) an array of pixelized sensors optically coupled to the other side of said fiber optic network, wherein;

(i) the ratio of the surface area of a phosphor pixel to the surface area of a sensor pixel is in the range of about 1;

2.19 1;

4, and

(ii) the ratio of the surface area of the core of each individual optical fiber of said fiber optic network to the surface area of a phosphor pixel is in the range of about 1;

4 to 1;

160.

2. The radiation detector of claim 1 wherein said ratio in (ii) is in the range of about 1:

4 to 1;

64.

3. The radiation detector of claim 2 wherein said ratio in (ii) is in the range of about 1:

16 to 1;

30.

4. The radiation detector of claim 1 wherein said fiber optic network comprises a fiber optic faceplate.

5. The radiation detector according to claim 4 wherein a microlens array is positioned between said fiber optic faceplate and said array of pixelized phosphors.

6. The radiation detector of claim 4 wherein at least a portion of the optical fibers of the fiber optic faceplate are inclined to the array of pixelized phosphors.

7. The radiation detector of claim 6 wherein said fiber optic faceplate is tapered.

8. The radiation detector of claim 1 wherein said array of pixelized sensors is based on single crystal silicon.

9. The radiation detector of claim 1 wherein said array of pixelized sensors are formed on back-illuminated thinned-out single crystal silicon.

10. The radiation detector according to claim 1 wherein said fiber optic network is adhesively attached to said array of pixelized sensors.

11. The radiation detector according to claim 1 wherein said pixelized phosphor is fabricated directly on the surface of said fiber optic network.

12. An X-ray radiation detector comprising:

(a) a fiber optic network;

(b) an array of pixelized phosphors on the X-ray incidence side of said fiber optic network; and

(c) an array of pixelized sensors optically coupled to the other side of said fiber optic network, wherein;

(i) the ratio of the surface area of a phosphor pixel to the surface area of a sensor pixel is in the range of about 1;

2 to 1;

64, and

(ii) the ratio of the surface area of the core of each individual optical fiber of said fiber optic network to the surface area of a phosphor pixel is in the range of about 1;

4 to 1;

160.

13. The radiation detector according to claim 12 wherein said ratio in (i) is in the range of about 1:

2 to 1;

16.