X-ray tube having scintillator-photocathode segments aligned with phosphor segments of its display screen
AssigneeDiagnostic Information, Inc.
InventorShih-Ping Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An X-ray amplifier tube of the proximity design in which the scintillator screen, the photo-cathode screen and the output phosphor display screen are all segmented, with the segmentations of each screen being in registry with those of the other screens. In some embodiments one or more apertured masks are interposed between the scintillator-photocathode screen assembly and the output phosphor display screen, or ahead of the scintillator-photocathode screen assembly, the apertures of the masks being in registry with the segmentations of the scintillator-photocathode screen and the output phosphor display screen.
Claims22
A large area, X-ray array amplifier-detector tube comprising:
- a tube envelope open at both ends,
- an input window at one end of the envelope for receiving input primary X-rays,
- a segmented output phosphor display screen at the other end of the envelope,
- a segmented scintillator-photocathode screen assembly interposed between the input window and the output display screen, the segmentations of the scintillator-photocathode screen assembly being in registration with the segmentations of the output phosphor display screen, and
- means for applying a high electostatic potential between the scintillator-photocathode screen assembly and the output display screen.
A large area, X-ray array amplifier-detector tube comprising:
- a tube envelope open at both ends,
- an input window at one end of the envelope for receiving input primary X-rays,
- a segmented output phosphor display screen at the other end of the envelope,
- a plurality of segmented scintillator-photocathode screen assemblies interposed between the input window and the output display screen, the segmentations of each scintillator-photocathode screen assembly being in registration with the segmentations of the output phosphor display screen, and
- means for applying different high electrostatic potentials between the scintillator-photocathode screen assemblies and the output display screen.
An improved, X-ray image intensifier tube of the type including:
- a metallic tube envelope open at both ends,
- an inwardly concave metallic input window at one end of the envelope,
- an output phosphor display screen mounted at the other end of the envelope,
- scintillator-photocathode screen means for receiving an X-ray pattern image and converting it to a corresponding image of emitted electrons,
- electrically insulating means for suspending the scintillator-photocathode screen means within the envelope and in a plane parallel to, but spaced apart from, the output display screen,
- means for applying a high, electrostatic potential to the scintillator-photocathode screen means, the potential being taken with respect to the output display screen and all of the other tube elements, including the envelope, which are at a neutral potential with respect to each other, and
- wherein the improvement comprises at least one segmented scintillator-photocathode screen assembly and a segmented output phosphor display screen, the segmentations of the two screens being in registration with the corresponding segmentations of the other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.