Two-dimensional ionising particle detector

• US 7,238,951 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2003
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Disdier, Laurent, Fedotoff, Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baker; David S.
• Application Number:
  US10/506,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20050161611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 250/361.R, 250/390.11
• US Class Current: 250/390.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/201 using scintillating fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/204 the detector being a liquid

Abstract

A two-dimensional ionising particle detector including a matrix of detecting fibers, each detecting fiber forming a pixel of the detector. Each detecting fiber is composed of a glass capillary filled with a liquid scintillator for which the chemical composition is chosen such that an average free path of primary scintillation photons is negligible compared with a diameter of the capillary. The detector is applicable, for example, to high resolution particle imagery.

Claims

1. A two-dimensional ionising particle detector comprising:

a matrix of detecting fibers, each detecting fiber forming a pixel of the detector and including a scintillator to emit scintillation light,

wherein each detecting fiber comprises a glass capillary filled with a liquid scintillator for which a chemical composition is chosen such that an average free path of primary scintillation photons is negligible compared with a diameter of the capillary.

2. A two-dimensional ionising particle detector according to claim 1, wherein the capillaries are placed in a vat comprising a first wall fitted with a glass port transparent at a wavelength of the scintillation light and a second wall located in front of the first wall and comprising a mirror reflecting at the wavelength, ionising particles penetrating into the detector through the mirror.

3. A two-dimensional ionising particle detector according to claim 2, wherein the vat comprises a top wall and bottom walls that comprise elastic membranes to absorb thermal expansion.

4. A two-dimensional ionising particle detector according to claim 1, wherein the liquid scintillator is a binary liquid scintillator.

5. A two-dimensional ionising particle detector according to claim 1, wherein the liquid scintillator is a ternary liquid scintillator.

6. A two-dimensional ionising particle detector according to claim 1, wherein a solvent used in the liquid scintillator includes PXE.

7. A two-dimensional ionising particle detector according to claim 1, wherein the liquid scintillator comprises deuterium.

8. A two-dimensional ionising particle detector according to claim 1, wherein the capillaries have a diameter between 20 μ

m and 500 μ

m and a length between 10 and 50 mm, and the matrix has a section approximately equal to 100×

100 mm².