Abstract: A solid state radiation sensor, in which an electrode is disposed on each side of a recording photoconductive layer, and charges generated in the recording photoconductive layer by the irradiation of radiation, with a predetermined bias voltage being applied between the electrodes, are detected as electrical signals. Here, a predetermined region is provided between the electrodes, and the average density of an alkali metal in the predetermined region is greater than or equal to 10 times the average density of the alkali metal in the area between the electrodes other than the predetermined region.

Abstract: In an image detector that includes the following layers arranged on top of another: a charge generation layer that generates charges when exposed to a recording electromagnetic wave representing image information; and a charge detection layer that includes multitudes of detection elements disposed two-dimensionally, each having a switch element and a pixel electrode used for reading out the charges generated in the charge generation layer, a smoothing layer formed by a wet coating process is provided between the charge generation layer and charge detection layer.

Abstract: An image recording medium includes: a support which is transparent to radiation for use in recording, and resistant to shock; a wavelength conversion layer which contains an organic binder and a fluorescent material which converts the radiation into visible light; a first electrode layer which is transparent to the visible light; a recording-side photoconductive layer which exhibits photoconductivity when the recording-side photoconductive layer is exposed to the visible light; a charge storage region which stores electric charges which are generated in the recording-side photoconductive layer in response to exposure to the visible light; a reading-side photoconductive layer which exhibits photoconductivity when the reading-side photoconductive layer is exposed to reading light; and a second electrode layer which is transparent to the reading light.

Abstract: A radiation image detector includes a first electrode for transmitting an electromagnetic wave for recording, the electromagnetic wave carrying a radiation image, a photoconductive layer for recording, a plurality of charge-collecting electrodes, and a substrate. The photoconductive layer for recording generates charges by irradiation with the electromagnetic wave for recording that has been transmitted through the first electrode, and has amorphous selenium as its major component and further contains alkali metal. The first electrode, the photoconductive layer for recording, the plurality of charge-collecting electrodes and the substrate are superposed one on another in this order. Further, an amorphous selenium layer is provided as an anti-crystallization layer between the first electrode and the photoconductive layer for recording. The amorphous selenium layer contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of As, Sb and Bi at 5% to 40%.

Abstract: In an electrostatic recorder including: a first electrode for transmitting radioactive rays; a recording photoconductive layer irradiated with the radioactive rays to generate charge; a charge transportation layer; a storage unit for storing the charge as an electrostatic latent image; a reading photoconductive layer irradiated with a reading light to generate charge; and a second electrode, the first electrode, the recording photoconductive layer, the charge transportation layer, the storage unit, the reading photoconductive layer, and the second electrode are laminated in this sequential order. The electrostatic recorder further includes a suppression layer provided between the reading photoconductive layer and the second electrode to prevent interfacial crystallization generated in the reading photoconductive layer. In the electrostatic recorder, the interfacial crystallization of the reading photoconductive layer is prevented without reducing reading efficiency.

Abstract: In a solid state radiation detector which includes an electrostatic recording section having a photoconductive layer that shows conductivity when exposed to recording light, and is constructed to receive recording light representing image information to record the image information in the detector, and to output image signals representing the recorded image information, the photoconductive layer is swept by an amount of major carrier greater than or equal to an amount of current that flows through the photoconductive layer at the time of recording to facilitate the recombination of minor carriers (residual charges) accumulated in the photoconductive layer.

Abstract: An image signal is read out by use of a stimulable phosphor sheet having a layer of stimulable phosphor which emits stimulated emission in proportion to the stored energy of radiation upon exposure to stimulating light and a solid image sensor having a photoconductive material layer which exhibits electric conductivity upon exposure to the stimulated emission from the stimulable phosphor sheet. Stimulating light is caused to scan a stimulable phosphor sheet which has been exposed to radiation and has stored an image, the photoconductive material layer is caused to be exposed to stimulated emission emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to the stimulating light. Then electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer upon exposure to the stimulated emission is detected by applying an electric field to the photoconductive material layer.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a linear device which is very thin, can be inserted into a desired region of a subject, and minimizes the damage to the subject. The linear device is a linear member, which comprises a base layer extending in the axial directions of the linear member and a plurality of layers formed on the base layer and extending in the axial directions of the linear member. Two or more of said plurality of layers are conductive layers and two or more of said plurality of layers are insulating layers. Each insulating layer is disposed between the conductive layers. When the linear device is embedded in or its front end is inserted into a region of a subject, electric stimuli can be given to the region and the electric resistance of the region can be measured. Because the linear device is very thin, pain or uncomfortable feeling at the region is slight when it is inserted or embedded in a region of the human body or the like.

Abstract: A radiation image detector including the following in the order listed below: a charge storage layer that generates and stores charges by receiving a recording electromagnetic wave representing a radiation image; a photoconductive layer that generates charges by receiving readout light; and an electrode layer having a plurality of first line electrodes that transmits the readout light and is disposed in parallel at a predetermined distance. Further, a second line electrode having electrical continuity with the photoconductive layer is provided between each of the first electrodes, and an opaque line insulator that blocks the readout light is provided on each second line electrode on the side opposite to the photoconductive layer. The opaque line insulator has such a width that a side face portion of the opaque line insulator resides between the opposing side face portions of adjacent first and second line electrodes.

Abstract: A radiation image detector with improved readout efficiency. The detector records a radiation image by generating and storing electric charges when irradiated with radiation, and the image is read out by irradiating readout light. The detector includes first line electrodes and second line electrodes disposed alternately with each other. An opaque line insulator that blocks the readout light is provided on each side face extending in the longitudinal direction of each second line electrode. The insulator has a width smaller than the distance between the first and second line electrodes. This arrangement allows the electric charges in the area of the photoconductive layer adjacent to the side faces of the first line electrodes to be fully discharged, and the electric charges in the area of the photoconductive layer adjacent to the side faces of the second line electrodes to be prevented from discharging.

Abstract: An image signal is read out by use of a stimulable phosphor sheet having a layer of stimulable phosphor which emits stimulated emission in proportion to the stored energy of radiation upon exposure to stimulating light and a solid image sensor having a photoconductive material layer which exhibits electric conductivity upon exposure to the stimulated emission from the stimulable phosphor sheet. Stimulating light is caused to scan a stimulable phosphor sheet which has been exposed to radiation and has stored an image, the photoconductive material layer is caused to be exposed to stimulated emission emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to the stimulating light. Then electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer upon exposure to the stimulated emission is detected by applying an electric field to the photoconductive material layer.

Abstract: An image signal is read out by use of a stimulable phosphor sheet having a layer of stimulable phosphor which emits stimulated emission in proportion to the stored energy of radiation upon exposure to stimulating light and a solid image sensor having a photoconductive material layer which exhibits electric conductivity upon exposure to the stimulated emission from the stimulable phosphor sheet. Stimulating light is caused to scan a stimulable phosphor sheet which has been exposed to radiation and has stored an image, the photoconductive material layer is caused to be exposed to stimulated emission emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to the stimulating light. Then electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer upon exposure to the stimulated emission is detected by applying an electric field to the photoconductive material layer.

Abstract: An image recording medium for recording image information by storing electric charges generated in response to exposure to an electromagnetic wave carrying the image information. The image recording medium includes: an electrode transparent to the electromagnetic wave; a recording-side photoconductive layer which contains a-Se as a main component, and generates electric charges when exposed to the electromagnetic wave; and a suppression layer which is arranged between the electrode and the recording-side photoconductive layer, and suppresses interfacial crystallization in the recording-side photoconductive layer. The suppression layer is made of an organic material which behaves as an insulator against electric charges having the opposite polarity to electric charges which move from the recording-side photoconductive layer to the electrode at the time of recording, and as a conductor of charges having the same polarity as the electric charges which move to the electrode.

Abstract: Electric charges, which have been generated in a recording photo-conductor layer having been exposed to radiation, are accumulated at an accumulating section. The accumulated electric charges combine with electric charges, which are generated in a reading photo-conductor layer when the reading photo-conductor layer is exposed to reading light having passed through each of transparent linear electrodes, and an electric current in accordance with a radiation dose flows through each of the transparent linear electrodes. An opaque good electrically-conductive member extends at a middle region of each of the transparent linear electrodes, the middle region being other than an end region extending along a longitudinal direction of each of the transparent linear electrodes.

Abstract: Obtainment of a present image, in which the arrangement of structural elements of a subject within the image approximates that of a past image of the same subject, and which is suitable for a temporal subtraction process, is enabled. A plurality of preliminary images of the subject are obtained, by a control unit controlling an imaging system constituted by an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector, to perform imaging at a plurality of imaging angles. An optimal imaging angle calculating unit calculates an optimal imaging angle, based on characteristic anatomical points of the subject that reflect changes in the subject's position, which is optimal for obtaining a present image having the least differences, due to the position of the subject, from a past image. The control unit controls the imaging system to perform imaging employing the optimal imaging angle.

Abstract: An image recording medium includes a support and a first electrode layer, a reading photoconductive layer which exhibits conductivity upon exposure to a reading electromagnetic wave, a charge accumulating portion which accumulates an electric charge of a latent image polarity generated in a recording photoconductive layer, the recording photoconductive layer which exhibits conductivity upon exposure to a recording electromagnetic wave and a second electrode layer which are superposed on the support one on another in this order. At least one of the recording photoconductive layer and the reading photoconductive layer is formed of a material containing a-Se as a major component and doped with a material for suppressing bulk crystallization of a-Se.

Abstract: A first electrode layer capable of transmitting visible light, a displaying layer, whose optical characteristics alter in accordance with an electric field, an optical switching layer capable of exhibiting electrical conductivity when being exposed to an electromagnetic wave, and a second electrode layer, which is provided with linear electrodes arrayed in parallel and capable of transmitting the electromagnetic wave, are overlaid in this order. A voltage is applied to each of the linear electrodes and in accordance with image information. Scanning with the electromagnetic wave is performed in two-dimensional directions and from the side of the second electrode layer, the optical characteristics of the displaying layer altering in accordance with an electric field formed between the first electrode layer and the optical switching layer, the image information being thereby displayed.

Abstract: A radiographic image detector includes a first electrode layer, a first photoconductive layer, a second photoconductive layer, and a second electrode layer. The second electrode layer has a first stripe electrode, in which a plurality of first line electrodes are arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals, and a second stripe electrode, in which a plurality of second line electrodes are arranged in parallel between the first line electrodes. The radiographic image detector further includes an insulating member, which is mounted on the side surfaces extending in a longitudinal direction of the second line electrode and on the top surface of the second line electrode continuous to the side surfaces.

Abstract: An image recording medium includes a support and a first electrode layer, a reading photoconductive layer which exhibits conductivity upon exposure to a reading electromagnetic wave, a charge accumulating portion which accumulates an electric charge of a latent image polarity generated in a recording photoconductive layer, the recording photoconductive layer which exhibits conductivity upon exposure to a recording electromagnetic wave and a second electrode layer which are superposed on the support one on another in this order. At least one of the recording photoconductive layer and the reading photoconductive layer is formed of a material containing a—Se as a major component and doped with a material for suppressing bulk crystallization of a—Se.

Abstract: An image recording medium includes a first electrode layer permeable to a recording electromagnetic wave carrying thereon image information, a recording photoconductive layer which generates electric charges according to the image information upon exposure to the recording electromagnetic wave and stores the electric charges and a second electrode layer for reading the electric charges stored in the recording photoconductive layer, which are superposed one on another in this order. An anti-discharge member for preventing occurrence of an electric discharge on the periphery of the first electrode layer is provided only on the periphery of the first electrode layer.