Ceramic-like scintillators
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDominic A. Cusano, Fred F. Holub, Svante Prochazka
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Abstract
Scintillator bodies comprising fluorescent materials and having high optical translucency with low light absorption and methods of making the scintillator bodies are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the scintillator bodies are formed by a hot-pressing process. In another embodiment, cold-pressing followed by sintering is employed. Another embodiment employs controlled cooling. Another embodiment employs hot-forging. The scintillator bodies that result are easily machined to desired shapes and sizes.
Claims27
A process for producing optically translucent scintillation detectors, said detector comprising phosphor material selected from the group consisting of BaFCl:Eu, LaOBr:Tb, CsI:Tl, CaWO.sub.4, and CdWO.sub.4 ;
- said process comprising the step of:
- pressing the phosphor material at a substantially high pressure and at an elevated temperature which is below the melting point of the phosphor and for a time sufficient to allow compaction whereby an optically translucent body is formed.
A process for producing an optically translucent scintillation detector, said detector comprising phosphor material selected from the group consisting of BaFCl:Eu, LaOBr:Tb, CsI:Tl, Ca WO.sub.4, and CdWO.sub.4, said process comprising the steps of:
- pressing said phosphor material at a substantially high pressure and at approximately room temperature;
- and then
- sintering the pressed phosphor at an elevated temperature which is below the melting point of the phosphor whereby an optically translucent body is formed.
A process for producing an optically translucent scintillation detector, said detector comprising phosphor material, selected from the group consisting of BaFCl:Eu, LaOBr:Tb, CsI:Tl, CaWO.sub.4, and CdWO.sub.4, said process comprising the steps of:
- hot-pressing the phosphor material at a temperature which is below the melting point of the phosphor, and for a time sufficient to allow formation of a compact billet;
- and then
- hot-forging the billet at a temperature below the melting point of the phosphor for a time and to a final pressure sufficient to achieve a plastic deformation of the billet between approximately 30 percent and approximately 40 percent in the direction of pressing.
A process for producing a translucent scintillation detector from phosphor material, selected from the group consisting of BaFCl:Eu, LaOBr:Tb, CsI:Tl, CaWO.sub.4, and CdWO.sub.4 said process comprising the steps of:
- pressing the phosphor material at a substantially high pressure and at approximately room temperature (20.degree. C.);
- sintering the pressed phosphor at an elevated temperature which is below the melting point of the phosphor, whereby a compact phosphor billet is formed;
- and then
- hot-forging the billet at a temperature below the melting point of the phosphor for a time and to a final pressure sufficient to achieve a plastic deformation of the billet between approximately 30 percent and approximately 40 percent in the direction of pressing, whereby the translucency of the billet is increased.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.