High-Z cast reflector compositions and method of manufacture

• US 6,519,313 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Duclos, Steven Jude, Venkataramani, Venkat Subramaniam
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Allen C.
• Application Number:
  US09/681,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20020181647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 378/19, 378/98.8, 250/367, 250/368, 250/370.11, 252/301.17
• US Class Current: 378/19
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20183 Arrangements for preventing or correcting crosstalk, e.g. optical or electrical arrangements for correcting crosstalk
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/202 the detector being a crystal

Abstract

A scintillator pack comprises an array of scintillator pixels and an x-ray absorbing layer disposed in inter-scintillator regions between the scintillator pixels. The x-ray absorbing layer acts to absorb x-rays and protect underlying regions of the inter-scintillator regions. The x-ray absorbing layer may be formed by a number of methods including casting and melt infiltration.

Claims

1. A scintillator pack comprising:

an array of scintillator pixels; and

x-ray absorbing regions surrounding the scintillator pixels, the x-ray absorbing regions being filled with a high density x-ray absorbing material that consists essentially of a high density glass ceramic selected from the group consisting of hafnium barium lanthanum aluminum sodium fluoride, zirconium barium aluminum sodium fluoride, rare-earth borates, bismuth borosilicates, aluminates, tantalates, and tungstates.

2. A scintillator pack comprising:

an array of scintillator pixels; and

x-ray absorbing layer comprising a high density x-ray absorbing material, the x-ray absorbing layer being formed in inter-scintillator regions between the scintillator pixels, wherein the high density x-ray absorbing material comprises a high density glass ceramic.

3. The scintillator pack of claim 2, wherein the high density glass ceramic comprises crystallites embedded within a glass.

4. The scintillator pack of claims 3, wherein the crystallites have an average size in the range of about 0.15 microns to about 0.35 microns.

5. The scintillator pack of claim 3, wherein the glass is a heavy metal fluoride glass.

6. The scintillator pack of claim 5, wherein the heavy metal fluoride glass is one of HBLAN (hafnium barium lanthanum aluminum sodium fluoride) and ZBLAN (zirconium barium lanthanum aluminum sodium fluoride).

7. A method of forming a scintillator pack comprising the steps of:

providing an array of scintillator pixels;

filling regions surrounding the pixels with a high density x-ray absorbing material that consists essentially of a melted glass ceramic; and

cooling the melted glass ceramic to form a glass ceramic in said regions.

8. A method of forming a scintillator pack comprising the steps of:

providing an array of scintillator pixels; and

forming an x-ray absorbing layer comprising a high density x-ray absorbing material inter-scintillator regions between the scintillator pixels;

wherein the step of forming an x-ray absorbing layer comprises disposing a glass melt into the inter-scintillator regions between the scintillator pixels, cooling the glass melt to form a glass in the inter-scintillator regions, and annealing the glass at a sufficient temperature to precipitate crystallites within the glass.

9. The method of forming a scintillator pack according to claim 8, wherein the glass is one of HBLAN (hafnium barium lanthanum aluminum sodium fluoride), ZBLAN (zirconium barium lanthanum aluminum sodium fluoride), rare earth borates, bismuth borosilicates, aluminates, tantalates, and tungstates.

10. A method of forming a scintillator pack comprising the steps of:

providing an array of scintillator pixels;

forming an x-ray absorbing layer comprising a high density x-ray absorbing material in inter-scintillator regions between the scintillator pixels, wherein the step of forming the x-ray absorbing layer comprises the steps of;

providing a high density x-ray absorbing powder;

dispersing the powder within a liquid matrix to form a precursor mix;

disposing the precursor mix within the inter-scintillator regions; and

solidifying the precursor mix to form a solid layer, wherein the step of solidifying the precursor mix comprises annealing the precursor mix.

11. A method of forming a scintillator pack comprising the steps of:

providing an array of scintillator pixels;

forming an x-ray absorbing layer comprising a high density x-ray absorbing material in inter-scintillator regions between the scintillator pixels, wherein the step of forming the x-ray absorbing layer comprises the steps of;

providing a high density x-ray absorbing powder;

dispersing the powder within a liquid matrix to form a precursor mix;

disposing the precursor mix within the inter-scintillator regions; and

solidifying the precursor mix to form a solid layer, wherein the step of solidifying the precursor mix comprises treating the precursor mix with electromagnetic radiation.

12. The method of forming a scintillator pack according to claim 11, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of x radiation and ultraviolet radiation.

13. A method of forming a scintillator pack comprising the steps of:

providing an array of scintillator pixels;

forming an x-ray absorbing layer comprising a high density x-ray absorbing material in inter-scintillator regions between the scintillator pixels, wherein the step of forming the x-ray absorbing layer comprises the steps of;

providing a high density x-ray absorbing powder;

dispersing the powder within a liquid matrix to form a precursor mix;

disposing the precursor mix within the inter-scintillator regions; and

solidifying the precursor mix to form a solid layer, wherein the step of solidifying the precursor mix comprises polymerizing the precursor mix.

14. A method of forming a scintillator pack comprising the steps of:

providing an array of scintillator pixels;

forming an x-ray absorbing layer comprising a high density x-ray absorbing material in inter-scintillator regions between the scintillator pixels, wherein the step of forming the x-ray absorbing layer comprises the steps of;

providing a high density x-ray absorbing powder;

dispersing the powder and an additive within a liquid matrix to form a precursor mix, the additive preventing discolorization of the x-ray absorbing layer;

disposing the precursor mix within the inter-scintillator regions; and

solidifying the precursor mix to form a solid layer.