Rare earth oxyorthosilicate scintillation crystals
AssigneeSiemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
InventorsBrant Quinton, Mark S. Andreaco, Troy Marlar, Peter Carl Cohen, Merry A. Koschan
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Abstract
The use of the effect of crystallographic axis orientation on the effectiveness in annealing in multiple atmospheres and chemical compositions of lutetium oxyorthosilicate crystals and other scintillator crystals is disclosed. By controlling axis orientation an favorable annealing condition can be selected to repair both internal interstitial and vacancy defects through the crystal lattice. Axis orientation can be further utilized to control the uniformity of surface finish of chemically etched crystal.
Claims17
A method of making a scintillator component, comprising:
- cutting an elongated monocrystalline scintillator element from a volume of the monocrystalline scintillator material, the elongated scintillator element having a longitudinal axis at least generally aligned with a first selected crystallographic axis;
- and
- subjecting the elongated scintillator element to annealing under one or more conditions,
- the first crystallographic axis being selected at least partially to achieve a minimum value of, or amount of improvement in, a scintillation property of the elongated scintillator element by the annealing under the one or more conditions.
A method of making a scintillator component, comprising:
- growing a volume of the monocrystalline scintillator material from a melt by forming a substantially cylindrical boule from the melt, the substantially cylindrical boule having a longitudinal axis generally aligned with a first crystallographic axis;
- cutting a slab from the boule, the slab having a top and bottom surfaces defining a longitudinal axis generally aligned with a first crystallographic axis;
- cutting an elongated monocrystalline scintillator element from the slab, the elongated scintillator element having a longitudinal axis at least generally aligned with the first crystallographic axis;
- and
- subjecting the slab to annealing under one or more conditions,
- the crystallographic axis being selected at least partially to achieve a minimum value of, or amount of improvement in, a scintillation property of the elongated scintillator element by the annealing under the one or more conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.