Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090065700 | REDUCED EDGE EFFECT DETECTOR - Embodiments of a radiation detector and subassemblies thereof are provided having a scintillator with a face and a reflector constructed and arranged to redirect a majority of light leaving the face of the scintillator at an angle within a range of 45 to 135 degrees compared to the direction in which the light was traveling when it left the face. In other embodiments a method is provided including receiving radiation into a scintillator having a face, producing light with the scintillator in response to the radiation, allowing at least a portion of the light to leave the face, and reflecting a majority of the light leaving the face at an angle within a range of 45 to 135 degrees compared to the direction in which the light was traveling when it left the face with a reflector. Other embodiments are directed to a reflector including a plurality of prisms having a first face and a second face with a barrier on the first face. | 03-12-2009 |
20090236534 | Pixelated Scintillation Detector and Method of Making Same - A scintillation detector may include a pixelated scintillation crystal mechanically and optically coupled to a position sensitive photodetector, such as a position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT). The pixelated scintillation crystal may be coupled to the position sensitive photodetector without using a window between the crystal and photodetector. According to one method of constructing the scintillation detector, a solid scintillation crystal may be coupled to the position sensitive photodetector and cut while coupled to the photodetector to form the pixelated scintillation crystal. | 09-24-2009 |
20090261253 | SCINTILLATION DETECTOR AND METHOD OF MAKING - A method of assembling a detector includes conditioning a rare-earth halide scintillator crystal in a sealed container, wherein the conditioning process includes heating the scintillator crystal, reducing the pressure within the sealed container for an evacuation period while heating, and flowing a purging gas through the sealed container for a flowing duration while heating. The method further includes assembling a detector comprising the scintillator crystal in an assembly environment comprising an inert gas. | 10-22-2009 |
20090261257 | RADIATION DETECTOR DEVICE - A radiation detector device is disclosed that includes a photosensor and a scintillator coupled to the photosensor. The scintillator includes a scintillator crystal having a first end proximal to the photosensor, a second end distal from the photosensor, and a length extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The scintillator also includes a reflector substantially surrounding the scintillator crystal at least along its length. The reflector comprises a fabric that includes a plurality of fibers, each fiber comprising an inorganic material. | 10-22-2009 |
20090261263 | RADIATION DETECTOR DEVICE - A radiation detector device is disclosed that includes a scintillator including a scintillator crystal and a hybrid photodetector (HPD) coupled to the scintillator. The HPD includes an electron tube having an input window and a photocathode adapted to emit photoelectrons when light passing through the input window strikes the photocathode. Further, the hybrid photodetector includes an electron detector adapted to receive photoelectrons emitted by the photocathode. The electron detector comprises a semiconductor material characterized by a bandgap of at least 2.15 eV. | 10-22-2009 |
20090266990 | RADIATION DETECTOR DEVICE - A radiation detector device is disclosed and includes a photosensor and a scintillation device coupled to the photosensor. The scintillation device includes a scintillator crystal enclosed within a casing. The scintillator crystal is optically coupled to a window at an end of the casing. The scintillation device includes a dielectric gas inside at least part of the casing. The dielectric gas is adapted to reduce or prevent static discharge within the scintillation device. | 10-29-2009 |
20090278052 | RADIATION DETECTOR DEVICE HAVING AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE OPTICAL INTERFACE - A radiation detector device is disclosed and includes a scintillation device having a scintillator crystal. The radiation detector device also includes a photosensor. Further, the radiation detector device includes an optical interface coupled between the scintillation device and the photosensor. The optical interface is electrically conductive. | 11-12-2009 |
20090283687 | SCINTILLATION DETECTOR AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING AND TESTING - A method of assembling a scintillation detector including placing a scintillator crystal in a casing, and forming a sealed casing having a controlled atmosphere different than ambient atmosphere, wherein the controlled atmosphere includes an inert gas and a trace gas in an amount of at least about 1 vol % and not greater than about 30 vol %, wherein the trace gas is selected from the group of materials consisting of hydrogen, helium, neon, krypton, xenon, and carbon monoxide. The assembling method further includes testing the sealed casing for leaks by detecting the presence of the trace gas. | 11-19-2009 |
20100032577 | RADIATION DETECTOR INCLUDING ELONGATED ELEMENTS - A detector includes a housing defining a cavity; a scintillator material disposed within the cavity and having a front face, a rear face, and a side face; a reflective material disposed between the housing and the side face of the scintillator material; and a tolerance ring disposed between the housing and the reflective material. | 02-11-2010 |
20100148074 | Scintillation Array Method and Apparatus - In one aspect a scintillation array includes a transparent material between portions of adjacent scintillation pixels. The transparent material can allow light to pass from one scintillation pixel to an adjacent scintillation pixel. The resulting image provides information regarding the depth at which a scintillation event occurs. Another aspect regards a scintillation array that includes reflector strips separating portions of adjacent scintillation pixels. Other spaces between portions of scintillation pixels need not include reflector strips and may be filled with other reflective material. | 06-17-2010 |
20100155610 | Scintillation Separator - An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a scintillation reflector that may include a specular material having a first and second surface, and a first diffuse material arranged adjacent to the first surface of the specular material and proximal to the scintillator surface. The composite reflector may surround at least a portion of a scintillator surface as provided in scintillation detector. | 06-24-2010 |
20100163735 | RARE-EARTH MATERIALS, SCINTILLATOR CRYSTALS, AND RUGGEDIZED SCINTILLATOR DEVICES INCORPORATING SUCH CRYSTALS - A rare-earth halide material comprising a first surface region having a first surface roughness (R | 07-01-2010 |
20100314531 | SCINTILLATOR AND DETECTOR ASSEMBLY - A detector comprising a photodetector including a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), wherein the SPAD comprises a wide band-gap semiconductor material, and a quenching circuit electrically coupled to the photodetector comprising a first device, wherein the first device comprises a wide band-gap semiconductor material having a band-gap of at least about 1.7 eV at about 26° C. | 12-16-2010 |
20110001054 | RADIATION DETECTOR DEVICE HAVING AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE OPTICAL INTERFACE - A radiation detector device is disclosed and includes a scintillation device having a scintillator crystal. The radiation detector device also includes a photosensor. Further, the radiation detector device includes an optical interface coupled between the scintillation device and the photosensor. The optical interface is electrically conductive. | 01-06-2011 |
20110017911 | RARE-EARTH HALIDE SCINTILLATOR COATED WITH A LIGHT ABSORBER OR LIGHT REFLECTOR - A scintillator material comprises a rare-earth halide coated with a layer comprising a resin and a pigment. In an embodiment, the scintillator material is used in an ionizing-radiation detector, and in particular embodiment, a gamma camera. The layer can adhere well and act as an absorbent or reflector depending on the color of the pigment. | 01-27-2011 |
20110095173 | RADIATION DETECTOR AND METHOD OF USING A RADIATION DETECTOR - A radiation detector can include a photosensor to receive light via an input and to send an electrical pulse via an output in response to receiving the light. The radiation detector can also include a pulse analyzer to send an indicator to a pulse counter when the electrical pulse corresponds to a scintillation pulse and to not send the indicator to the pulse counter when the electrical pulse corresponds to a noise pulse. The pulse analyzer can be coupled to the output of the photosensor. A method can include receiving an electrical pulse at a pulse analyzer from an output of a photosensor and determining whether the electrical pulse corresponds to a scintillation pulse or a noise pulse, based on a pulse shape of the electrical pulse. The method can also include sending the electrical pulse to a pulse counter when the electrical pulse corresponds to a scintillation pulse. | 04-28-2011 |
20110108733 | SCINTILLATION PIXEL DESIGN AND METHOD OF OPERATION - Scintillation pixels are described that can include a series of ridges formed in the outer surfaces of the pixels. The ridges may be oriented vertically or horizontally and can result in faster scintillators and in scintillators that exhibit a reduction in light spread. | 05-12-2011 |
20110139991 | RADIATION DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MAKING A RADIATION DETECTION SYSTEM - A radiation detection system can include a first scintillator having a first edge extending between a first surface and a second surface of the first scintillator. The radiation detection system can also include a second scintillator having a second edge extending between a third surface and a fourth surface of the second scintillator. The first edge of the first scintillator can be coupled to the second edge of the second scintillator. In a particular embodiment, a first portion of the first scintillator and a second portion of the second scintillator can both lie along a line that is perpendicular to the first surface of the first scintillator. In another embodiment, an optical coupling material can be coupled between the first edge and the second edge. | 06-16-2011 |
20110192981 | RADIATION DETECTION SYSTEM INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SCINTILLATORS HAVING DIFFERENT LIGHT YIELDS AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME - A radiation detection system can include a scintillating member including a polymer matrix, a first scintillating material, and a second scintillating material different from the first scintillating material and at least one photosensor coupled to the scintillating member. The radiation detection system can be configured to receive particular radiation at the scintillating member, generate a first light from the first scintillating material and a second light from the second scintillating material in response to receiving the particular radiation, receive the first and second lights at the at least one photosensor, generate a signal at the photosensor, and determine a total effective energy of the particular radiation based at least in part on the signal. Practical applications of the radiation detection system can include identifying a particular isotope present within an object, identifying a particular type of radiation emitted by the object, or locating a source of radiation within the object. | 08-11-2011 |
20110253290 | PIXELATED SCINTILLATION DETECTOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME - A scintillation detector may include a pixelated scintillation crystal mechanically and optically coupled to a position sensitive photodetector, such as a position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT). The pixelated scintillation crystal may be coupled to the position sensitive photodetector without using a window between the crystal and photodetector. According to one method of constructing the scintillation detector, a solid scintillation crystal may be coupled to the position sensitive photodetector and cut while coupled to the photodetector to form the pixelated scintillation crystal. | 10-20-2011 |
20120161011 | HIGH ASPECT RATIO SCINTILLATOR DETECTOR FOR NEUTRON DETECTION - A detection device includes a photon sensor and a scintillator device optically coupled to the photon sensor. The scintillator device includes a scintillator material having a first refractive index, a first refractive material in a first annular space around the scintillator material, and a second refractive material in a second annular space around the first annular space. The first refractive material has a second refractive index. The second refractive index is less than the first refractive index. The second refractive material has a third refractive index. The third refractive index is less than the second refractive index. | 06-28-2012 |