High definition scintillation detector for medicine, homeland security and non-destructive evaluation
AssigneesTrustees of Boston University, Corporate Sponsored Research and Licensing for Massachusetts General Hospital, Partners Healthcare System, Inc.
InventorsTheodore F. Morse, Rajiv Gupta, Carson B. Roberts, Robert D. Chivas
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Abstract
A bundle of drawn fibers that have X-ray scintillating unagglommerated nanocrystallite particles in plastic or glass cores of down to 0.1 micron spacing and claddings of X-ray absorbing compounds in the cladding composition. Optional is a cover to the bundle that blocks light from leaving the bundle at the X-ray side while allowing X-rays to pass into the cores. To image the light exiting the fiber bundle at the sub-micron level, light expansion is preferable using either a lens system or a fiber bundle expander.
Claims17
An assembly for converting X-rays to detectable light comprising:
- a fiber optic bundle including:
- a plurality of fiber cores of unagglomerated, nanocrystallite scintillation particles suspended in a plastic body, said scintillation particles providing scintillation in response to incident X-rays;
- and
- at least one cladding of a non-scintillating material surrounding each of said plurality of fiber cores,
- wherein said plurality of fiber cores and the respective cladding collectively form the fiber optic bundle, the fiber optic bundle operative to direct light from X-ray scintillation along the plurality of fiber cores.
The assembly of 5 wherein said imager includes a lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.