Radiation-detecting light-transmission apparatus

• US 5,434,415 A
• Filed: 12/28/1993
• Issued: 07/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.), Tohoku Electric Power Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Takebe, Masahiro, Terada, Hideo, Sakuma, Kazuo, Atsumi, Yoshihiro, Wakahara, Michio, Urayama, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US08/174,701
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 250/367, 250/368, 250/370.11, 250/390.11, 250/486.11
• US Class Current: 250/368
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20 with scintillation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 5/08 Scintillation chambers discharge tubes H01J40/00, H01J47/00; semiconductor devices H01L

Abstract

A radiation induced light wavelength shifter and an apparatus for detecting radiation and transmitting detected signal through an optical fiber are disclosed. A radiation induced light wavelength shifter used in such apparatus comprises a cylindrical scintillator, a fluorescent optical fiber an end of which is inserted into the scintillator, the fluorescent optical fiber extending out of the scintillator, a light shielding member covering the scintillator and the fluorescent optical fiber, and a light reflecting material covering the scintillator.

Claims

1. A radiation induced light wavelength shifter comprising:

a columnar scintillator;

a fluorescent optical fiber which is substantially coaxially inserted into the scintillator, said fluorescent optical fiber extending out of the scintillator;

a light shielding member covering said scintillator and said fluorescent optical fiber, and

a light reflecting material surrounding said scintillator within said light shielding member.

2. A radiation-detecting light-transmission apparatus comprising:

a columnar scintillator;

a fluorescent optical fiber which is substantially coaxially inserted into the scintillator, said fluorescent optical fiber extending out of the scintillator;

a light shielding member covering said scintillator and said fluorescent optical fiber;

a light reflecting material surrounding said scintillator arranged in said light shielding member; and

an optical transmission fiber which is connected to an end of said fluorescent optical fiber through an optical connector, said optical transmission fiber transmitting light generated in said fluorescent optical fiber.

3. A radiation-detecting light-transmission apparatus comprising:

a columnar scintillator;

a transparent optical member surrounding said scintillator;

a fluorescent optical fiber an end of which is inserted substantially coaxially into said scintillator and which emits light upon receiving light from the scintillator;

an optical connector connected to the other end of the fluorescent optical fiber;

a light reflecting material covering an outer circumferential and end surfaces of said transparent optical member;

a light shielding casing covering said light reflecting material said scintillator and said fluorescent optical fiber; and

an optical transmission fiber which is connected to the other end of said fluorescent optical fiber through said optical connector.

4. A radiation-detecting light-transmission apparatus comprising:

a plurality of radiation induced light wavelength shifters, each radiation induced light wavelength shifter comprising a columnar scintillator;

a transparent optical member surrounding said scintillator;

a fluorescent optical fiber which is inserted substantially coaxially into said scintillator and emits light upon receiving light from the scintillator;

an optical connector connected to an end of the fluorescent optical fiber;

a light reflecting material covering an outer circumferential and end surfaces of said transparent optical member; and

a light shielding casing covering said light reflecting material said scintillator and said fluorescent optical fiber;

a collimator having a plurality of substantially parallel through holes for holding said radiation induced light wavelength shifters; and

a plurality of light transmission fibers each connected separately to an end of one of the plurality of fluorescent optical fibers through an optical connector so that light generated in each fluorescent optical fiber is transmitted through a respective optical transmission fiber.

5. The radiation-detecting light-transmission apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said through holes are distributed in an m×

n matrix pattern, where m and n are natural numbers.