X-ray sensor having a high mass number convertor and a superconducting detector
AssigneeProgress Technologies Corporation
InventorRichard T. Schneider
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides an x-ray sensor that converts x-ray radiation into infrared radiation using a high mass number material. The infrared radiation that results from this conversion is then detected using a superconducting detector. The superconducting detector uses a superconducting material for each of a plurality of detector elements that are temperature biased at the superconducting-nonsuperconducting transition temperature. As infrared photons strike one of the detector elements, the temperature of the superconducting detector element increases, which causes an increase in the resistance of the detector element. Using the output of each detector element an image of the original x-ray radiation is obtained.
Claims10
An apparatus for sensing x-ray radiation comprising:
- a housing:
- a window formed in said housing that is transparent to x-ray radiation;
- means disposed in said housing for converting x-ray radiation into infrared radiation;
- means disposed in said housing for detecting said infrared radiation, said detecting means including a superconducting material that has a varying resistance for a given temperature range between a superconducting and a non-superconducting state;
- means disposed in said housing for maintaining said detecting means within said given temperature range;
- and
- means for sensing said varying resistance of said detecting means.
A method of sensing x-ray radiation comprising the steps of:
- biasing a superconducting detector that has a varying resistance for a given temperature range within that temperature range;
- illuminating a convertor material having a high mass number with x-ray radiation;
- converting said radiation into infrared radiation using said convertor material;
- directing said infrared radiation to strike said superconducting detector;
- and
- sensing said varying resistance of said superconducting detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.