Plural Or Composite Luminophor Patents (Class 250/367)
  • Publication number: 20140306116
    Abstract: Detection apparatus for detecting radiation The invention relates to a detection apparatus for detecting radiation. The detection apparatus comprises at least two scintillators (14, 15) having different temporal behaviors, each generating scintillation light upon reception of radiation, wherein the generated scintillation light is commonly detected by a scintillation light detection unit (16), thereby generating a common light detection signal. A detection values determining unit determines first detection values by applying a first determination process and second detection values by applying a second determination process, which is different to the first determination process, on the detection signal. The first determination process includes frequency filtering the detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Ewald Roessl, Axel Thran, Roland Proksa
  • Patent number: 8859976
    Abstract: A radiation detector includes a conversion element that converts an incoming radiation beam into electrical signals, which in turn can be used to generate data about the radiation beam. The conversion element may include, for example, a scintillator that converts the radiation beam into light, and a sensor that generates the signals in response to the light. The conversion element can be used in different schemes or data collection modes. For instance, the conversion element can be oriented normal to the radiation beam or transverse to the radiation beam. In either of these orientations, for example, the detector can be used in an integrating mode or in a counting mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Virshup, Edward Seppi, James Clayton, Edward Shapiro
  • Publication number: 20140301527
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a scintillator array includes a plurality of scintillator blocks, and a reflective layer part interposed between the adjacent scintillator blocks. The plurality of scintillator blocks are integrated by the reflective layer part. The reflective layer part includes reflective particles dispersed in a transparent resin. The reflective particles include at least one selected from titanium oxide particles and tantalum oxide particles, and have a mean particle diameter of 2 ?m or less. The number of the reflective particles existing per unit area of 5 ?m×5 ?m of the reflective layer part is in a range of 100 or more and 250 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumitsu MORIMOTO, Akihisa SAITO, Yoshitaka ADACHI, Masaki TOYOSHIMA, Eiji OYAIZU
  • Publication number: 20140299777
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to a scintillation detector for registering the position of gamma photon interactions, an comprises an array of two or more elongated first and second scintillation crystal elements connected together along their respective long sides, and an array of discrete photosensitive areas disposed on a common substrate of a solid-state semiconductor photo-detector. The array of first and second scintillation crystal elements have proximal output windows optically coupled to the array of discrete photosensitive areas in a one-to-one relationship. The invention may be characterized in that the first and second scintillation crystal elements include a rooftop portion at their distal ends, wherein the rooftop portion optically couples one of the first and second scintillation crystal elements to the other and is configured to reflect and transmit light resulting from a gamma photon interaction from one of the first and second scintillation crystal elements to the other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: ZECOTEK IMAGING SYSTEMS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Alexei Oleinik, Alexander Zagumennyi, Serge Khorev, Abdelmounaime Faouzi Zerrouk
  • Publication number: 20140284486
    Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus includes a scintillator and a photoelectric conversion panel. The photoelectric conversion panel includes a frame member disposed on an outer side of a photoelectric conversion section along at least a portion of one side of the photoelectric conversion panel. The frame member includes an inclined surface having a downward slope toward the photoelectric conversion section. The scintillator includes a first scintillator formed continuously on the inclined surface of the frame member and a surface of the photoelectric conversion section, and a second scintillator formed on the first scintillator. The first scintillator has a non-columnar crystal structure, and the second scintillator has a columnar crystal structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masato Inoue, Shinichi Takeda, Satoru Sawada, Takamasa Ishii, Taiki Takei, Kota Nishibe
  • Publication number: 20140263991
    Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for a radiation dosimetry apparatus and associated methods for measuring radiation dose. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes multiple scintillating elements for detecting amounts of radiation dose at multiple points within a detection region. Each of the scintillating elements generates light in response to radiation interacting within their volume. A light guide combines the light generated by all of the scintillating elements as well as radiation-induced contaminated optical energy and transmits the combined light to a spectral analysis setup. Multi or hyper-spectral calibration technique allows calculating the dose or dose rate at the positions of the different scintillating elements. The calibration technique isolates the light produced by a given scintillating element from the other scintillating elements as well as any other source of radiation-induced contaminating light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, UNIVERSITE LAVAL
    Inventors: Francois Therriault-Proulx, Luc Beaulieu, Louis Archambault, Sam Beddar
  • Patent number: 8829449
    Abstract: This scintillator plate 1 is a scintillator plate which is a member of a flat plate shape to emit scintillation light according to incidence of radiation transmitted by an object A and which is used in an image acquisition device to condense and image the scintillation light, the scintillator plate comprising: a partition plate 2 of a planar shape which transmits radiation; a scintillator 3 of a flat plate shape which is arranged on one surface 2a of the partition plate 2 and which converts the radiation into scintillation light; and a scintillator 4 of a flat plate shape which is arranged on the other surface 2b of the partition plate 2 and which converts the radiation into scintillation light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Toshiyasu Suyama, Mototsugu Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8809794
    Abstract: A radiation detector comprises a scintillator 2A having a first end face 11, a second end face 13 disposed on a side opposite from the first end face 11, and a plurality of light-scattering surfaces 21 formed with an interval therebetween along a first direction P from the first end face 11 side to the second end face 13 side; a first photodetector 12 optically coupled to the first end face 11; and a second photodetector 14 optically coupled to the second end face 13. The light-scattering surfaces 21 are formed so as to intersect the first direction P. The light-scattering surfaces 21 include modified regions 21R formed by irradiating the inside of the scintillator 2A with laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Uchida, Takaji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8785864
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for imaging sources of gamma rays with a large area, comparatively low-cost Compton telescope (20). The Compton telescope (20) uses multiple layers (24) of low-cost organic solid plastic or liquid scintillator, arranged in large arrays of identical scintillator pixels (28). Photodiodes, avalanche photodiodes (30), or solid-state photomultipliers are used to read out the fluorescent pulses from scintillator pixels (28). Multiple scintillator pixels (28) are multiplexed into a few fast digitizers (80) and a few fast FPGA programmable digital microprocessors (78). Selection rule methods are presented for processing multiple near-simultaneous gamma ray collisions within the Compton telescope (28) to identify trackable events that yield gamma ray image data of interest. A calibration method achieves improved energy resolution along with (x,y) position information in pixels (28) made of organic scintillator materials with multiple photodetectors (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: BOSS Physical Sciences LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth N. Ricci, Wayne B. Norris, Brad Paden
  • Publication number: 20140197321
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gamma-neutron detector based on mixtures of thermal neutron absorbers that produce heavy-particle emission following thermal capture. The detector consists of one or more thin screens embedded in transparent hydrogenous light guides, which also serve as a neutron moderator. The emitted particles interact with the scintillator screen and produce a high light output, which is collected by the light guides into a photomultiplier tube and produces a signal from which the neutrons are counted. Simultaneous gamma-ray detection is provided by replacing the light guide material with a plastic scintillator. The plastic scintillator serves as the gamma-ray detector, moderator and light guide. The neutrons and gamma-ray events are separated employing Pulse-Shape Discrimination (PSD). The detector can be used in several scanning configurations including portal, drive-through, drive-by, handheld and backpack, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventors: Joseph Bendahan, Edward James Morton
  • Patent number: 8748830
    Abstract: A radiation sensor can include a first layer and a second layer. The first layer can include a first scintillation material to produce first light in response to receiving a first targeted radiation, and the second layer can include a second scintillation material to produce second light in response to receiving a second targeted radiation. The first scintillation material can be different from the second scintillation material, and the first targeted radiation can be different from the second targeted radiation. The first layer can be configured to receive and transmit the second light. In an embodiment, the radiation sensor can be part of a radiation detection system that includes a photosensor that can produce an electronic pulse in response to the first and second lights. A method of detecting radiation can include using the radiation detection system to distinguish different radiations by differences in pulse shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael R. Kusner
  • Publication number: 20140151565
    Abstract: A neutron detector is disclosed that includes a generally elongate sealed housing. A scintillator based neutron detection assembly is positioned within the elongate housing. The scintillator based neutron detection assembly includes a reflective portion, a plurality of optical fibers, and a scintillator portion. A fiber guide is connected with an end of said scintillator based neutron detection assembly and an end of the at least one bundle of fibers from the plurality of optical fibers is positioned in an output port in the fiber guide. A sensor assembly is included and is connected with the end of the bundle of fibers. An output connector is located on a front end of the generally elongate sealed housing for transmitting an output voltage in response to a neutron event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Robert Forgas, Joshua Liechty, Craig R. Kline
  • Publication number: 20140151567
    Abstract: A neutron spectrometer that is more accurate, faster, and more-portable than conventional spectrometers includes an organic scintillator responsive to neutrons and gammas and an inorganic scintillator that captures neutrons. A processor receives signals representative of scintillations in the organic scintillator and in the inorganic scintillator and discriminates neutron signals from gamma signals. The processor also determines pulse areas for neutron moderating signals and performs unfolding based on the determined pulse areas to produce a neutron energy spectrum and/or dose information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: MERRILL CORPORATION
    Inventor: MERRILL CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 8729478
    Abstract: Embodiments of radiographic imaging apparatus and methods for operating the same can include a first scintillator, a second scintillator, a plurality of first photosensitive elements, and a plurality of second photosensitive elements. The plurality of first photosensitive elements receives light from the first scintillator and has first photosensitive element characteristics chosen to cooperate with the first scintillator properties. The plurality of second photosensitive elements are arranged to receive light from the second scintillator and has second photosensitive element characteristics different from the first photosensitive element characteristics and chosen to cooperate with the second scintillator properties. Further, the first scintillator can have first scintillator properties and the second scintillator can have second scintillator properties different from the first scintillator properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Carestream Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Tredwell, Mark E. Shafer, Robert W. Kulpinski, Timothy J. Wojcik
  • Publication number: 20140131583
    Abstract: A radiation detector dosimeter system/method implementing a corrected energy response detector is disclosed. The system incorporates charged (typically tungsten impregnated) injection molded plastic that may be formed into arbitrary detector configurations to affect radiation detection and dose rate functionality at a drastically reduced cost compared to the prior art, while simultaneously permitting the radiation detectors to compensate for radiation intensity and provide accurate radiation dose rate measurements. Various preferred system embodiments include configurations in which the energy response of the detector is nominally isotropic, allowing the detector to be utilized within a wide range of application orientations. The method incorporates utilization of a radiation detector so configured to compensate for radiation counts and generate accurate radiation dosing rate measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventor: Olivier Gaëtan Giarmana
  • Patent number: 8723129
    Abstract: This scintillator plate 1 is a scintillator plate which is a member of a flat plate shape to emit scintillation light according to incidence of radiation transmitted by an object A and which is used in an image acquisition device to condense and image the scintillation light, the scintillator plate comprising: a partition plate 2 of a planar shape which transmits radiation; a scintillator 3 of a flat plate shape which is arranged on one surface 2a of the partition plate 2 and which converts the radiation into scintillation light; and a scintillator 4 of a flat plate shape which is arranged on the other surface 2b of the partition plate 2 and which converts the radiation into scintillation light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Toshiyasu Suyama, Mototsugu Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8710450
    Abstract: A system of the present invention is capable of detecting, imaging and measuring both neutrons and gamma rays. The system has three parallel plates each containing a plurality of detectors. Each plate has different detectors. The first plate has plastic scintillation detectors. The second plate has a plurality of stilbene scintillation detectors having pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) properties. The third plate has a plurality of inorganic detectors. The first plate and the second plate are used in connection to detect, image and measure neutrons. The second plate and the third plate are used in connection to detect, image, and measure gamma rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: University of New Hampshire
    Inventor: James M. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20140103219
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector (100; 101; 102; 103; 104; 105; 106), having a scintillator (120) for generating electromagnetic radiation (202) in response to the action of incident radiation (200). The scintillator (120) has two opposing end faces (121; 122) and a lateral wall (123) between the end faces (121; 122). The radiation detector has, in addition, a photocathode section (130) that is located on the lateral wall (123) of the scintillator (120) and that generates electrons (204) in response to the action of electromagnetic radiation (202) that is generated by the scintillator (120), a microchannel plate (161; 162) comprising a plurality of channels (165), for multiplying the electrons (204) that have been generated by the photocathode section (130) and a detection system (171; 172) for detecting the electrons (204) that have been multiplied by means of the microchannel plate (161; 162).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Harry Hedler, Timothy Hughes, Martin Spahn, Stefan Wirth
  • Patent number: 8698086
    Abstract: A scintillator material according to one embodiment includes a bismuth-loaded aromatic polymer having an energy resolution at 662 keV of less than about 10%. A scintillator material according to another embodiment includes a bismuth-loaded aromatic polymer having a fluor incorporated therewith and an energy resolution at 662 keV of less than about 10%. Additional systems and methods are also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Nerine Jane Cherepy, Robert Dean Sanner, Stephen Anthony Payne, Benjamin Lee Rupert, Benjamin Walter Sturm
  • Publication number: 20140091227
    Abstract: A neutron sensor includes neutron-sensing particles and a scintillator coating surrounding the neutron-sensing particles. In an embodiment, the neutron-sensing particles include 6LiF particles, the scintillator coating includes ZnS, or both. In another embodiment, the scintillator coating can coat more than one neutron-sensing particle. In a further embodiment, the scintillator coating is formed on neutron-sensing particles using precipitation techniques or fluidized bed processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventors: Kan Yang, Peter R. Menge, Brian C. LaCourse
  • Publication number: 20140091223
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a scintillation pixel array, a radiation sensing apparatus, a scintillation apparatus, and methods of making a scintillation pixel array wherein scintillation pixels have beveled surfaces and a reflective material around the beveled surfaces. The embodiments described herein can reduce the amount of cross-talk between adjacent scintillation pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventor: Peter R. Menge
  • Publication number: 20140084170
    Abstract: When employing specular reflective material in a scintillator crystal array, light trapping in the crystal due to repetitive internal reflection is mitigated by roughening at least one side (16) of each of a plurality of pre-formed polished scintillator crystals. A specular reflector material (30) is applied (deposited, wrapped around, etc.) to the roughened crystals, which are arranged in an array. Each crystal array is coupled to a silicon photodetector (32) to form a detector array, which can be mounted in a detector for a functional scanner or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Herfried Karl Wieczorek, Andreas Thon, Steven Cooke
  • Patent number: 8674311
    Abstract: Evaporation methods and structures for depositing a scintillator film on a surface of a substrate. A radiation detection device including a doped lanthanum halide polycrystalline scintillator formed on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek Nagarkar, Valeriy Gaysinskiy
  • Patent number: 8669526
    Abstract: Provided are a scintillator panel and a radiation detector which give a radiation image reduced in sensitivity unevenness and sharpness unevenness. Also provided are processes for producing the scintillator and the detector. The scintillator panel comprises a support and, deposited thereon, a phosphor layer comprising columnar crystals of a phosphor which have been formed by the vapor deposition method. The panel is characterized in that the columnar crystals of a phosphor comprise cesium iodide (CsI) as a base ingredient and thallium (Tl) as an activator ingredient and have, in a root part thereof, a layer containing no thallium, and that the coefficient of variation in thallium concentration in the plane of the phosphor layer is 40% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigetami Kasai, Hiroshi Isa, Makoto Iijima, Yasushi Nagata
  • Publication number: 20140064446
    Abstract: An x-ray absorptiometry apparatus and method utilize a radiation source having a beam opening angle of less than or equal to 30 milliradians in at least one dimension, an array of scintillator units to receive radiation from the radiation source with the beam angle after the radiation has passed through a body being imaged and at least one solid-state photomultiplier to receive photons from the array of scintillator units and to produce electrical signal based on the photons. In one implementation, an optical area transmission passage modifier is employed in a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry system. In one implementation, the array of scintillator units are arranged in staggered rows. In yet another implementation, the solid-state photomultiplier includes a plurality of solid-state photomultipliers arranged in rows. In one implementation, a single solid-state photomultiplier receive photons from a plurality of scintillators of the array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: James A. Wear, Sergei Dolinsky, Randall Payne, Ravindra Mohan Manjeshwar
  • Patent number: 8660236
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting low and high x-ray densities is provided for use in CT imaging. Two photodetectors, one having a relatively low dynamic range and the other having a relatively high dynamic range, are coupled to the same transducer. The first photodetector may be, for example, a SiPM which is passively quenched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Raz Carmi, Amir Livne
  • Publication number: 20140048712
    Abstract: A radiation detector includes a scintillator layer configured to absorb radiation emitted from a radiation source and to emit optical photons in response to the absorbed radiation. The radiation detector also includes a photodetector layer configured to absorb the optical photons emitted by the scintillator layer. The radiation detector further includes a reflector configured to reflect the optical photons emitted by the scintillator layer towards the photodetector layer and to absorb select wavelengths of optical photons associated with an afterglow emitted by the scintillator layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: David Michael Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20140042330
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gamma-neutron detector based on mixtures of thermal neutron absorbers that produce heavy-particle emission following thermal capture. In one configuration, B-10 based detector is used in a parallel electrode plate geometry that integrates neutron moderating sheets, such as polyethylene, on the back of the electrode plates to thermalize the neutrons and then detect them with high efficiency. The moderator can also be replaced with plastic scintillator sheets viewed with a large area photomultiplier tube to detect gamma-rays as well. The detector can be used in several scanning configurations including portal, drive-through, drive-by, handheld and backpack, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: RAPISCAN SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: RAPISCAN SYSTEMS, INC.
  • Patent number: 8648312
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a radiation detection apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a first scintillator layer, a second scintillator layer, and a sensor panel that detects light emitted by the first scintillator layer and the second scintillator layer. The method comprises preparing a sensor unit having the sensor panel and the first scintillator layer which includes a set of columnar crystals formed on the sensor panel, and a scintillator panel having a scintillator substrate and the second scintillator layer which includes a set of columnar crystals formed on the scintillator substrate, and fixing the scintillator panel to the sensor panel such that the first scintillator layer and the second scintillator layer face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoaki Ichimura, Satoshi Okada, Kazumi Nagano, Keiichi Nomura, Yohei Ishida, Yoshito Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20140034839
    Abstract: Provided is a scintillator used for detecting radiation in an X-ray CT scanner or the like, the scintillator having a unidirectional phase separation structure having an optical waveguide function, which eliminates the need of formation of partition walls for preventing crosstalks. The scintillator has the phase separation structure including: a first crystal phase including multiple columnar crystals having unidirectionality; and a second crystal phase filling space on the side of the first crystal phase. The second crystal phase includes a material represented by Cs3Cu2[XaY1-a]5, where X and Y are elements which are different from each other and which are selected from the group consisting of I, Br, and Cl, and 0?a?1 is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryoko Horie, Nobuhiro Yasui, Yoshihiro Ohashi, Toru Den
  • Patent number: 8629405
    Abstract: A radiological image detection apparatus includes: a scintillator which is formed out of a group of columnar crystals in which crystals of a fluorescent material emitting fluorescence when irradiated with radiation have grown into columnar shapes; and a photodetector which detects the fluorescence emitted by the scintillator as an electric signal. Activator density in the scintillator varies between high density and low density repeatedly in a radiation travelling direction in at least a part of the scintillator. The activator density in each of front end portions and base end portions of the columnar crystals is lower than the high density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Kaneko, Haruyasu Nakatsugawa
  • Publication number: 20140001365
    Abstract: Apparatuses and a related method relating to radiation detection are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first scintillator and a second scintillator adjacent to the first scintillator, with each of the first scintillator and second scintillator being structured to generate a light pulse responsive to interacting with incident radiation. The first scintillator is further structured to experience full energy deposition of a first low-energy radiation, and permit a second higher-energy radiation to pass therethrough and interact with the second scintillator. The apparatus furthers include a plurality of light-to-electrical converters operably coupled to the second scintillator and configured to convert light pulses generated by the first scintillator and the second scintillator into electrical signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas W. Akers, Mark W. Drigert
  • Patent number: 8610078
    Abstract: The X-ray image detection apparatus 1 includes: a scintillator panel 10 including a phosphor 200 that is formed on a support 101 and emits fluorescence by irradiation of radiation; and a photodetector 40 that detects the fluorescence emitted by the phosphor as an electric signal, wherein the phosphor 200 includes a columnar section 20 formed by growing crystals of a fluorescent material in a columnar shape, and a non-columnar section 25 provided between the columnar section 20 and the support 101 and has a porosity lower than that of the columnar section 20, and the scintillator panel 10 is disposed at the rear side of the photodetector 40 in a radiation travelling direction, and in the phosphor 200, the non-columnar section 25 is disposed at a side opposite to the photodetector side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Kaneko, Haruyasu Nakatsugawa, Keiichirou Sato, Makoto Kitada, Kei Miura
  • Patent number: 8610077
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a fluence monitoring detector for use with a multileaf collimator on a radiotherapy machine having an x-ray radiation source. The fluence monitoring detector includes a plurality of scintillating optical fibers, each scintillating optical fiber configured to generate a light output at each end thereof in response to incident radiation pattern thereon from the radiation source and multileaf collimator, a plurality of collection optical fibers coupled to the opposing ends of the scintillating optical fibers and operable to collect the light output coming from both ends of each scintillating optical fiber, and a photo-detector coupled to the collection optical fibers and operable to converts optical energy transmitted by the collection optical fibers to electric signals for determining actual radiation pattern information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Universite Laval
    Inventors: Luc Beaulieu, Luc Gingras, Mathieu Goulet
  • Patent number: 8604440
    Abstract: Large-area, flat-panel photo-detectors with sub-nanosecond time resolution based on microchannel plates are provided. The large-area, flat-panel photo-detectors enable the economic construction of sampling calorimeters with, for example, enhanced capability to measure local energy deposition, depth-of-interaction, time-of-flight, and/or directionality of showers. In certain embodiments, sub-nanosecond timing resolution supplies correlated position and time measurements over large areas. The use of thin flat-panel viewing radiators on both sides of a radiation-creating medium allows simultaneous measurement of Cherenkov and scintillation radiation in each layer of the calorimeter. The detectors may be used in a variety of applications including, for example, medical imaging, security, and particle and nuclear physics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: The University of Chicago
    Inventors: Henry Frisch, Jean-Francois Genat, Hervé Grabas, Chien-Min Kao, Chin-Tu Chen, Heejong Kim, Fukun Tang, Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane
  • Patent number: 8586933
    Abstract: A radiation-sensitive detector (120) includes a scintillator array (124) coupled with a photosensor array (140) via an adhesive laminate (144). The photosensor (140) has a plurality of dixels (136). The adhesive laminate (144) includes a material free region that extends through the adhesive laminate (144) from the scintillator array (124) to the photosensor array (140) and that is located between a pair of adjacent dixels (136).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Simha Levene, Gerardus F. C. M. Lijten
  • Publication number: 20130277565
    Abstract: A radiation detector system/method that simultaneously detects alpha/beta, beta/gamma, or alpha/beta/gamma radiation, within an integrated detector is disclosed. The system incorporates a photomultiplier tube with radiation scintillation materials to detect alpha/beta/gamma radiation. The photomultiplier tube output is then shape amplified and fed through discriminators to detect the individual radiation types. The discriminator outputs are fed to anti-coincidence and pulse width and timing analysis module that determines whether individual alpha/beta/gamma pulses are valid and should be counted by corresponding alpha/beta/gamma pulse radiation counters. The system may include a radiation detection method to affect alpha/beta/gamma radiation detection in a variety of contexts. The system/method may be implemented in a variety of applications, including but not limited to whole body radiation contamination detectors, laundry radiation scanners, tool/article radiation detectors, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Adam Gregory Bogorodzki, Janusz Skierski, Hieronim Stanislaw Teresinski, George Yan, Abraham Mahdessian
  • Publication number: 20130264484
    Abstract: A scintillating module is provided which includes a first scintillating layer including a plurality of scintillators extending in a first direction; a second scintillating layer including a plurality of scintillators extending in a second direction and stacked in a third direction with respect to the first scintillating layer, wherein the first, second and third directions are orthogonal to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Instit ute
    Inventor: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
  • Publication number: 20130256537
    Abstract: When constructing a nuclear detector module in a gantry, a plurality of overlapping light guide modules (10) are mounted to the gantry in a spaced-apart fashion, and a plurality of underlapping light guide modules (12) are mounted in between each pair of overlapping light guide modules (10). Each of the underlapping modules and the overlapping modules includes a scintillation crystal array (16) on an interior surface thereof, and a plurality of PMTs on an exterior surface thereof. Overlapping modules (10) have overlapping structures (22) that interface with underlapping structures (18) on the underlapping modules (12) and thereby eliminate a seam directly beneath PMTs that overlap the crystal arrays of both an overlapping module and an underlapping module. Optical grease is used to form a resilient grease coupling and reduce light scatter between the underlapping and overlapping modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy Laurence, Jinling Liu, Steven E. Cooke, Steven John Plummer
  • Publication number: 20130240742
    Abstract: A scintillation crystal capable of emitting scintillation light can have a main body and a feature extending from the main body along a side of the scintillation crystal. The feature can have a dimension that is no greater than 2.5 times a wavelength of the scintillating light. In an embodiment, the feature and the main body can have substantially the same composition, and in a further embodiment the scintillation crystal can be interface free between the feature and the main body. The feature can be formed along the side of the scintillation crystal by removing portions of the scintillation crystal. In particular, the feature can be formed by abrading a surface of the scintillation crystal with an abrasive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN CERAMICS & PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventor: Peter R. Menge
  • Patent number: 8525120
    Abstract: A light emitting film is transferred to a light emitting plate serving as a transfer destination member, by a transfer method. The light emitting plate contains a first scintillator material for detecting ? ray. The light emitting film includes a protective layer, a light tight layer and a light emitting layer. The light emitting layer contains an adhesive material, and a second scintillator material added thereto for detecting ? ray. The light emitting film may be directly formed on a surface of a transparent member, a light receiving surface of a photomultiplier tube or the like by a transfer method. The light tight layer and the light emitting layer are arranged between the protective layer and the transfer destination member, and thus the light tight layer and the light emitting layer are protected physically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akinori Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 8525121
    Abstract: A radiological image detection apparatus, includes: two scintillators that convert irradiated radiation into lights; and a photodetector arranged between two scintillators, that detects the lights converted by two scintillators as an electric signal; in which: an activator density in the scintillator arranged at least on a radiation incident side out of two scintillators in vicinity of the photodetector is relatively higher than an activator density in the scintillator on an opposite side to a photodetector side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Haruyasu Nakatsugawa, Yasuhisa Kaneko, Naoto Iwakiri
  • Patent number: 8519352
    Abstract: A radiation monitor and a hand-foot-cloth monitor include a hand monitoring unit capable of accurately measuring surface contamination regardless of the size of the hand of the examinee. A hand monitoring unit (7A) includes a fixed detecting unit (73a) and a movable detecting unit (72a) arranged to face the fixed detecting unit (73a) and movable reciprocatingly in a direction facing the fixed detecting unit (73a), an urging unit (79a) urging the movable detecting unit (72a) in a direction separating from the fixed detecting unit (73a), a pressing member (74a) arranged between the fixed detecting unit (73a) and the movable detecting unit (72a) and pressable by the hand of the examinee, and an interlock mechanism (77a) moving the movable detecting unit (72a) against the urging force of the urging unit (79a) in a direction approaching the fixed detecting unit (73a) according to the amount of pressing of the pressing member (74a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadao Hashimoto, Hideyuki Norimatsu, Daisuke Inui
  • Patent number: 8519343
    Abstract: Apparatus for detecting and locating a source of gamma rays of energies ranging from 10-20 keV to several MeV's includes plural gamma ray detectors arranged in a generally closed extended array so as to provide Compton scattering imaging and coded aperture imaging simultaneously. First detectors are arranged in a spaced manner about a surface defining the closed extended array which may be in the form a circle, a sphere, a square, a pentagon or higher order polygon. Some of the gamma rays are absorbed by the first detectors closest to the gamma source in Compton scattering, while the photons that go unabsorbed by passing through gaps disposed between adjacent first detectors are incident upon second detectors disposed on the side farthest from the gamma ray source, where the first spaced detectors form a coded aperture array for two or three dimensional gamma ray source detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Lucian Mihailescu, Kai M. Vetter
  • Publication number: 20130208857
    Abstract: A detector and methods for inspecting material on the basis of scintillator coupled by wavelength-shifting optical fiber to one or more photo-detectors, with a temporal integration of the photo-detector signal. An unpixelated volume of scintillation medium converts energy of incident penetrating radiation into scintillation light which is extracted from a scintillation light extraction region by a plurality of optical waveguides. This geometry provides for efficient and compact detectors, enabling hitherto unattainable geometries for backscatter detection and for energy discrimination of incident radiation. Additional energy-resolving transmission configurations are enabled as are skew- and misalignment compensation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.
  • Patent number: 8507878
    Abstract: Scintillation materials of this invention have an alkali halide host material, a (first) scintillation dopant of various types, and a variety of second dopants (co-dopants). In another embodiment, the scintillation materials of this invention have an alkali halide host material, a (first) scintillation dopant of various types, a variety of second dopants (co-dopants), and a variety of third dopants (co-dopants). Co-dopants of this invention are capable of providing a second auxiliary luminescent cation dopant, capable of introducing an anion size and electronegativity mismatch, capable of introducing a mismatch of anion charge, or introducing a mismatch of cation charge in the host material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventors: Charles Brecher, Vivek Nagarkar
  • Publication number: 20130187054
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an image sensing panel in which a plurality of imaging substrates each including an photoelectric conversion element are arranged so as to form a single image sensing plane, and a scintillator portion that is disposed in a location covering the image sensing panel, and converts radiation into light having a wavelength detectable by the photoelectric conversion element. The scintillator portion includes, in a location covering at least a region between the plurality of imaging substrates, a first scintillator layer and a second scintillator layer that diffuses the converted light over a wider range than the first scintillator layer does.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
  • Publication number: 20130168561
    Abstract: [Problems to be Solved] A neutron scintillator excellent in detection efficiency for neutrons, an S/N ratio, and n/? discrimination ability, and a eutectic preferred for the neutron scintillator are provided. [Means to Solve the Problems] A metal fluoride eutectic, in which a lithium fluoride crystal phase and a crystal phase represented by the chemical formula Ca1-xSrxF2 (where x denotes a number greater than 0, but not larger than 1), such as SrF2 or Ca0.5Sr0.5F2, are present in a phase-separated state; a neutron scintillator comprising the eutectic; and a neutron imaging device comprising a combination of the neutron scintillator and a position-sensitive photomultiplier tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicants: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, TOKUYAMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Fukuda, Noriaki Kawaguchi, Akira Yoshikawa, Takayuki Yanagida, Yui Yokota, Yutaka Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8476610
    Abstract: A multi-view composite collimator includes a first parallel collimator segment having a plurality of collimator channels oriented at a first slant angle and a second parallel collimator segment adjacent to the first parallel collimator segment having a plurality of collimator channels oriented at a second slant angle different from the first slant angle and a bridging collimating element is provided between the first and second parallel collimator segments, wherein radiation can pass through the bridging collimating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignees: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: Eric Hawman, Gengsheng Zeng
  • Patent number: 8470214
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a detector or light guide using laser technology. The method yields a detector component such as a scintillator, light guide or optical sensor which provides for the internal manipulation of light waves via the strategic formation of micro-voids to enhance control and collection of scintillation light, allowing for accurate decoding of the impinging radiation. The method uses laser technology to create micro-voids within a target media to optically segment the media. The micro-voids are positioned to define optical boundaries of the optically-segmented portions forming virtual resolution elements within the scintillator. Each micro-void is formed at its selected location using a laser source. The laser source generates and focuses a beam of light into the target media sequentially to form the micro-voids. The laser beam ablates the media at the focal point, thereby yielding the micro-void.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Corbeil, Troy Marlar, Matthias J. Schmand, Niraj K. Doshi, Mark S. Andreaco