Radiological image conversion panel, method of manufacturing the same, and radiological image detection apparatus

• US 9,176,239 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Yasuhisa, Nakatsugawa, Haruyasu, Sato, Keiichirou, Kitada, Makoto, Miura, Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Yara B
• Application Number:
  US13/927,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20130284934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 250/484.4, 250/483.1, 250/486.1, 250/370.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4216 using storage phosphor screens
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/06 to obtain multicolour or other optical effects B05D5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/243 Crucibles for source material C23C14/28, C23C14/30 take precedence
• 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 1/20186 Position of the photodiode with respect to the incoming radiation, e.g. in the front of, below or sideways the scintillator
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/202 the detector being a crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 2004/06 with a phosphor layer
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 4/00 Conversion screens for the conversion of the spatial distribution of X-rays or particle radiation into visible images, e.g. fluoroscopic screens photographic processes using X-ray intensifiers G03C5/17; discharge tubes comprising luminescent screens H01J1/62; cathode ray tubes for X-ray conversion with optical output H01J31/50

Abstract

A radiological image conversion panel 2 is provided with a phosphor 18 containing a fluorescent material that emits fluorescence by radiation exposure, in which the phosphor includes, a columnar section 34 formed by a group of columnar crystals which are obtained through columnar growth of crystals of the fluorescent material, and a non-columnar section 36, the columnar section and the non-columnar section are integrally formed to overlap in a crystal growth direction of the columnar crystals, and a thickness of the non-columnar section along the crystal growth direction is non-uniform in a region of at least a part of the non-columnar section.

Claims

1. A radiological image conversion panel provided with a phosphor containing a fluorescent material that emits fluorescence by radiation exposure,

wherein the phosphor comprises a columnar section formed by a group of columnar crystals which are obtained through columnar growth of crystals of a fluorescent material, and a non-columnar section,

the columnar section and the non-columnar section are integrally formed on a support to overlap in a crystal growth direction of the columnar crystals in an order of the non-columnar section and the columnar section,

the thickness of the non-columnar section along the crystal growth direction is non-uniform throughout the non-columnar section,

the difference between the maximum thickness and the minimum thickness in the central region of the non-columnar section is less than the difference between the maximum thickness and the minimum thickness in the peripheral region of the non-columnar section,

a diameter of each crystal constituting the non-columnar section is 0.5 μ

m or more and 7.0 μ

m or less,

the crystals of the non-columnar section irregularly overlap, and some crystals thereof are fused to each other in a thickness direction or an in-plane direction, and

the non-columnar section includes a non-crystalline part.

2. The radiological image conversion panel of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the non-columnar section is distributed within a range of 5 μ

m or more and 125 μ

m or less.

3. The radiological image conversion panel of claim 1, wherein the non-columnar section is formed while comprising a group of spherical crystals obtained by growing crystals of the fluorescent material in a substantial spherical shape,

wherein at least a part of the group of the spherical crystals is fused in a direction parallel to a surface of the support.

4. A method of manufacturing the radiological image conversion panel of claim 1, wherein the non-columnar section and the columnar section are formed in this order on the support by depositing crystals of the fluorescent material on the support by a vapor deposition method,

wherein when the non-columnar section is formed, the crystals of the fluorescent material are deposited on the support by varying a degree of vacuum.

5. A radiological image detection apparatus provided with the radiological image conversion panel of claim 1, and a sensor panel which detects fluorescence generated from the radiological image conversion panel and converts the fluorescence into an electrical signal.

6. The radiological image detection apparatus of claim 5, wherein the radiological image conversion panel and the sensor panel are bonded to each other so that a surface of the columnar section side of the phosphor faces the sensor panel.

7. The radiological image detection apparatus of claim 6, which has a radiation entrance surface at the sensor panel side.

8. The radiological image detection apparatus of claim 6, which has a radiation entrance surface at the radiological image conversion panel side.

9. A radiological image conversion panel provided with a phosphor containing a fluorescent material that emits fluorescence by radiation exposure,

wherein the phosphor comprises a columnar section formed by a group of columnar crystals which are obtained through columnar growth of crystals of a fluorescent materials, and a non-columnar section,

the columnar section and the non-columnar section are integrally formed on a support to overlap in a crystal growth direction of the columnar crystals in an order of the non-columnar section and the columnar section,

the thickness of the non-columnar section along the crystal growth direction is non-uniform throughout the non-columnar section,

the deviation in the thickness distribution in the central region of the non-columnar section is less than the deviation in the thickness distribution in the peripheral region of the non-columnar section,

a diameter of each crystal constituting the non-columnar section is 0.5 μ

m or more and 7.0 μ

m or less,

the crystals of the non-columnar section irregularly overlap, and some crystals thereof are fused to each other in a thickness direction or an in-plane direction, and

the non-columnar section includes a non-crystalline part.

10. The radiological image conversion panel of claim 9, wherein the thickness of the non-columnar section is distributed within a range of 5 μ

m or more and 125 μ

m or less.

11. The radiological image conversion panel of claim 9, wherein the non-columnar section is formed while comprising a group of spherical crystals obtained by growing crystals of the fluorescent material in a substantial spherical shape,

wherein at least a part of the group of the spherical crystals is fused in a direction parallel to a surface of the support.

12. A method of manufacturing the radiological image conversion panel of claim 9, wherein:

the non-columnar section and the columnar section are formed in this order on the support by depositing crystals of the fluorescent material on the support by a vapor deposition method, and

when the non-columnar section is formed, the crystals of the fluorescent material are deposited on the support by varying a degree of vacuum.

13. A radiological image detection apparatus provided with the radiological image conversion panel of claim 9, and a sensor panel which detects fluorescence generated from the radiological image conversion panel and converts the fluorescence into an electrical signal.

14. The radiological image detection apparatus of claim 13, wherein the radiological image conversion panel and the sensor panel are bonded to each other so that a surface of the columnar section side of the phosphor faces the sensor panel.

15. The radiological image detection apparatus of claim 14, which has a radiation entrance surface at the sensor panel side.

16. The radiological image detection apparatus of claim 14, which has a radiation entrance surface at the radiological image conversion panel side.