Enhanced radiation detectors using luminescent materials
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsZeev V. Vardeny, Stefan A. Jeglinski, Paul A. Lane
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Abstract
A radiation detecting device comprising a radiation sensing element, and a layer of luminescent material to expand the range of wavelengths over which the sensing element can efficiently detect radiation. The luminescent material being selected to absorb radiation at selected wavelengths, causing the luminescent material to luminesce, and the luminescent radiation being detected by the sensing element. Radiation sensing elements include photodiodes (singly and in arrays), CCD arrays, IR detectors and photomultiplier tubes. Luminescent materials include polymers, oligomers, copolymers and porphyrines, Luminescent layers include thin films, thicker layers, and liquid polymers.
Claims40
A radiation detector receiving incident radiation from a source, said radiation detector comprising:
- (a) a radiation sensing element;
- (b) a layer of luminescent material interposed between said radiation sensing element and said incident radiation source;
- (c) said luminescent material being selected from the group consisting of polymers, oligomers, and copolymers, wherein the active material in said luminescent material forms the backbone of the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain or the active material is a sidegroup attached to the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain;
- (d) said luminescent material being selected to absorb radiation at a selected range of absorbing wavelengths, to luminesce at a selected range of luminescing wavelengths, and to be transparent at wavelengths longer than said selected absorbing wavelengths;
- (e) and said luminescent radiation being detected by said radiation sensing element.
A radiation detector apparatus receiving incident radiation from a source, said radiation detector apparatus comprising:
- (a) first and second photodiodes;
- (b) a layer of luminescent material interposed between said first photodiode and said incident radiation source;
- (c) said luminescent material being selected from the group consisting of polymers, oligomers, and copolymers, wherein the active material in said luminescent material forms the backbone of the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain or the active material is a sidegroup attached to the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain;
- (d) said luminescent material being selected to absorb radiation at a selected range of absorbing wavelengths to luminesce at a selected range of luminescing wavelengths, and to be transparent at wavelengths longer than said selected absorbing wavelengths, said luminescent radiation being detected by said first photodiode;
- (e) and means for comparing the signals from said first and second photodiodes whereby a difference in signals denotes presence of radiation at the selected wavelength.
A radiation detector receiving incident radiation from a source, said radiation detector comprising:
- (a) first and second photodiodes;
- (b) a detecting layer interposed between said first photodiode and said incident radiation source;
- said detecting layer comprising a layer of luminescent material, a second photodiode, and means to shield said second photodiode from said incident radiation;
- (c) said luminescent material being selected from the group consisting of polymers, oligomers, and copolymers, wherein the active material in said luminescent material forms the backbone of the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain or the active material is a sidegroup attached to the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain;
- (d) said luminescent material being selected to absorb radiation at a selected range of absorbing wavelengths, to luminesce at a selected range of luminescing wavelengths, and to be transparent at wavelengths longer than said selected absorbing wavelengths, said luminescent radiation being detected by said first photodiode;
- (e) and said second photodiode being disposed adjacent to said luminescent material layer to detect said luminescent radiation that has been directed to said second photodiode via wave guide action in said luminescent material layer.
A radiation detector receiving incident radiation from a source, said radiation detector comprising:
- (a) a photodiode;
- (b) a plurality of material layers interposed between said photodiode and said source of incident radiation, said material layers having an innermost material layer (immediately adjacent to said photodiode) and outer material layers (not immediately adjacent to said photodiode;
- (c) the innermost material layer being a luminescent material selected to absorb radiation at a selected range of absorbing wavelengths, to luminesce at a selected range of luminescing wavelengths, and to be transparent at wavelengths longer than said selected absorbing wavelengths, said luminescent radiation being detected by said photodiode;
- (d) said luminescent material being selected from the group consisting of polymers, oligomers, and copolymers, wherein the active material in said luminescent material forms the backbone of the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain or the active material is a sidegroup attached to the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain;
- (e) and the outer material layers being selected to allow only radiation at the selected wavelength to be directed to said innermost material layer, said outer material layers serving as an interference filter.
A radiation detector array receiving incident radiation from a source, said radiation detector array comprising:
- (a) a plurality of photodiodes;
- (b) a plurality of luminescent material layers, each said luminescent material layer being interposed between each said photodiode and said incident radiation source;
- (c) said luminescent material being selected from the group consisting of polymers, oligomers, and copolymers, wherein the active material in said luminescent material forms the backbone of the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain or the active material is a sidegroup attached to the polymer, oligomer or copolymer chain;
- (d) and said luminescent material layers being selected to absorb radiation at a selected range of absorbing wavelengths, to luminesce at a selected range of luminescing wavelengths, and to be transparent at wavelengths longer than said selected absorbing wavelengths, said luminescent radiation being detected by each said photodiode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.