Scintillator coatings having barrier protection, light transmission, and light reflection properties

A radiation imaging system comprising:

• an x-ray source;
• an x-ray detector comprising:
• a scintillator comprising:
• a scintillator material comprising a single-layer barrier coating disposed thereon, wherein the barrier coating:
• (1) provides barrier protection to the scintillator material, (2) is capable of transmitting light therethrough, and (3) is capable of reflecting light back into the scintillator material, and wherein the barrier coating is disposed on top portions and interstitially on partial side portions of the scintillator material, the barrier coating defining one or more voids adjacent to other partial side portions of the scintillator material;
• and
• an amorphous silicon array optically coupled to the scintillator;
• wherein the x-ray source is capable of projecting a beam of x-rays towards the x-ray detector, the x-ray detector is capable of detecting the x-rays, and an image can be created therefrom.

A method for making a scintillator having a single-layer barrier coating thereon that has both protective properties and light reflective and light transmissive properties, the method comprising:

• disposing an amorphous silicon array on a detector substrate;
• disposing a scintillator material on the amorphous silicon array;
• forming a single-layer barrier coating on the scintillator material;
• wherein the barrier coating:
• (1) provides barrier protection to the scintillator material, (2) is capable of transmitting light therethrough, and (3) is capable of reflecting light back into the scintillator material, and wherein the barrier coating is disposed on top portions and interstitially on partial side portions of the scintillator material, the barrier coating defining one or more voids adjacent to other partial side portions of the scintillator material.