Detector array and device using the same

• US 7,724,869 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.), Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.), Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Li, Yuanjing, Chen, Zhiqiang, Zhang, Qingjun, Wang, Xuewu, Zhao, Shuqing, Zhong, Huaqiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Allen C.
• Application Number:
  US11/789,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20070286337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 378/5, 378/16, 378/53, 378/57, 378/98.9, 378/19, 378/98.8, 378/98.11
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/482 involving multiple energy imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/5015 linear array
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/087 using polyenergetic X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/224 Multiple energy techniques using one type of radiation, e.g. X-rays of different energies

Abstract

Disclosed is a detector array comprising a first linear array for detecting a first ray and a second ray which penetrate through a first plurality of parts of the inspected object to acquire first values and second values for the first plurality of parts, wherein the second ray is alternately emitted with the first ray; and a second linear array arranged parallel to the first linear array for detecting the first ray and the second ray which penetrate through a second plurality of parts of the inspected object to acquire third values and fourth values for the second plurality of parts, wherein the first plurality of parts is partly identical to the second plurality of parts. With the detector array, the efficiency and material discrimination accuracy can be improved in the scanning inspection of the inspected object by use of alternate dual-energy rays.

Claims

1. A system for detecting x-rays comprising:

a radiation source for generating x-rays forming a fan-shaped beam;

a detector array comprising;

a first linear array for detecting a first x-ray and a second x-ray which penetrate through a first plurality of parts of an object under inspection to acquire first values and second values for the first plurality of parts, wherein the second x-ray and the first x-ray are alternately emitted from the radiation source; and

a second linear array arranged parallel to the first linear array for detecting the first x-ray and the second x-ray which penetrate through a second plurality of parts of the object to acquire third values and fourth values for the second plurality of parts, wherein the object moves relative to the radiation source and first and second linear array along a straight line substantially perpendicular to a plane in which the x-rays are arranged, and the at least one of first plurality of parts is the same as at least one of the second plurality of parts;

processing module for matching the second to third detection values to obtain the detection values for the same parts of the first plurality of parts and the second plurality of parts under the first x-ray and the second x-ray.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first linear array is arranged in contact with the second linear array.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance between the first linear array and the second linear array is adjustable.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the distance is adjustable based on the moving speed of the object and the time interval between the alternate generation of the first x-ray and the second x-ray.

5. The system of one of claims 2 to 3, wherein each detector element of the first linear array and the second linear array comprises a scintillator or a gas detector.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the scintillator is CdWO₄ or CsI.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the first x-ray and the second x-ray are generated by a same radiation source.

8. A method of detecting x-rays forming a fan-shaped beam with a detector array comprising a first linear array and a second linear array arranged parallel to each other, the method comprising the steps of:

generating from a radiation source alternately a first x-ray and a second x-ray to penetrate through an object under inspection;

detecting the first x-ray and the second x-ray which penetrate through a first plurality of parts of the object with the first linear array, to acquire first values and second values for the first plurality of parts;

detecting the first x-ray and the second x-ray which penetrate through a second plurality of parts of the object with the second linear array, to acquire third values and fourth values for the second plurality of parts, wherein the object moves relative to the radiation source and first and second linear array along a straight line substantially perpendicular to a plane in which the x-rays are arranged, and at least one of the first plurality of parts is the same as at least one of the second plurality of parts; and

matching the second to third detection values to obtain the detection values for the same parts of the first plurality of parts and the second plurality of parts under the first x-ray and the second x-ray.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprises adjusting the distance between the first linear array and the second linear array based on the moving speed of the object and the time interval between the alternate generation of the first x-ray and the second x-ray.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first x-ray and the second x-ray are generated by a same radiation source.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein each detector element of the first linear array and the second linear array comprises a scintillator or a gas detector.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the scintillator is CdWO₄ or CsI.

13. A system for detecting x-rays comprising:

a radiation source for generating x-rays forming a fan-shaped beam;

a detector array comprising;

a first linear array for detecting a first x-ray, a second x-ray and a third x-ray which penetrate through a first plurality of parts of an object under inspection to acquire first values, second values and third values for the first plurality of parts, wherein the first x-ray, the second x-ray and the third x-ray are alternately emitted from the radiation source;

a second linear array arranged parallel to the first linear array for detecting the first x-ray, the second x-ray and the third x-ray which penetrate through the second plurality of parts of the object to acquire fourth values, fifth values and sixth values for the second plurality of parts, wherein at least one of the first plurality of parts is the same as at least one of the second plurality of pans;

a third linear array arranged parallel to the first linear array and the second linear array for detecting the first x-ray, the second x-ray and the third x ray which penetrate through a third plurality of parts of the object to acquire seventh values, eighth values and ninth values for the third plurality of parts, wherein the object moves relative to the radiation source and first and second and third linear array along a straight line substantially perpendicular to a plane in which the x-rays are arranged, and at least one of the second plurality of parts is the same as at least one of the third plurality of parts; and

processing module for matching the second and fourth detection values to obtain the detection values for the same parts of the first plurality of parts and the second plurality of parts under the first x-ray and the second x-ray, matching the third, fifth and seventh detection values to obtain the detection values for the same parts of the first plurality of parts and the second plurality of parts and the third plurality of parts under the first x-ray, the second x-ray and the third x-ray, and matching sixth and eighth detection values to obtain the detection values for the same parts of the second plurality of parts and the third plurality of parts.