Patent · US Expired

High efficiency, high resolution, real-time radiographic imaging system

US5308986A · kind A · utility

80Cited by
7References
43Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 1992
Grant dateMay 3, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 17, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/02033
  • WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A new scintillating optical fiber is used in an array as a scintillator plate for imaging with high energy radiation, particles and the like. The scintillating optical fiber has an inner plastic core fiber which is transparent to visible radiation and has an index of refraction of about 1.45 or greater. The inner plastic core fiber has a plastic cladding material which has an index of refraction less than that of the inner plastic core fiber. The inner plastic core fiber contains a polymeric matrix material; a metal moiety; and an organic quench-resistant fluorescent material. The scintillator plates are useful in producing high efficiency and high resolution radiographic systems for x-ray medical diagnosis or non-destructive inspection as well as non-destructive inspection with thermal neutrons. In medical x-ray applications, such as mammography, the need for lower doses of x-rays for a given image quality is met and exceeded by the higher detection efficiency of the scintillator plates and their associated electronic read-out system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.