Indirect photon-counting analytical X-ray detector
US10408949B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 27, 2018 |
| Grant date | Sep 10, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 27, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01T1/362
- WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An indirect, photon-counting X-ray detector capable of detecting the low-energy X-rays includes a scintillator screen that is directly coupled to a two-dimensional optical sensor. A signal filter receives an electrical output signal from the optical sensor and removes high intensity signal contributions therefrom that are indicative of direct interaction between said X-ray signal and said optical sensor. The scintillator screen has a sufficient thickness to ensure a high absorption of incident X-ray photons, and uses phosphor grains with a relatively small grain size. A cooling apparatus in thermal communication with the optical sensor may be used to control its temperature. The signal filter maintains a running average of changes in measured pixel output values for consecutive measurements, and replaces a measured value caused by a direct interaction event with a value equal to a previous measured value plus said running average.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.