X-ray camera

Abstract

The invention discloses an X-ray camera, and belongs to the technical field of X-ray imaging, the X-ray camera comprises a scientific camera and a shell hermetically connected with the incident end of the scientific camera, and the shell is provided with an incident window opposite to the incident end of the scientific camera; a scintillator, a photonic crystal, an optical fiber panel and an optical fiber light cone are sequentially connected between the incidence window and the incidence end of the scientific camera in the incidence direction; the large-head end of the optical fiber light cone is connected with the optical fiber panel; the small head end of the optical fiber light cone is connected with the incident end of the scientific camera; additional coupling layers such as a substrate layer, an optical adhesive layer and a protective layer of a traditional X-ray conversion screen are removed, so that the optical transmission efficiency of the X-ray camera is effectively improved; the purpose of improving the sensitivity and the detection efficiency of the X-ray camera is achieved by arranging the photonic crystal; meanwhile, under the action of the optical fiber panel, light scattering is further restrained, and then the resolution ratio of the X-ray camera is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of X-ray imaging, and in particular relates to an X-ray camera. Background Art

[0002] An X-ray camera is a detection device that can convert X-ray energy into electrical signals that can be recorded. It receives X-ray radiation with information about the structure of the object, and then generates an electrical signal proportional to the radiation intensity. Indirect X-ray cameras convert X-rays into ultraviolet light or visible light by a scintillator, and then the camera performs imaging detection. The Chinese invention patent "X-ray imaging detector" with application number 202311476944.1 uses two image intensifier cameras to successively image two adjacent X-ray single pulses, thereby achieving double-frame continuous imaging of ultrafast single-pulse X-rays.

[0003] X-ray cameras are widely used in medical diagnosis, industrial non-destructive testing, safety monitoring and scientific research. However, existing X-ray cameras generally have problems such as complex manufacturing process, high price, low sensitivity, low signal-to-noise ratio, large size, small imaging area and slow imaging speed.

[0004] The performance of X-ray cameras is limited by the thickness of the scintillator, which is the main reason for the above problems. That is, the thicker the scintillator, the higher the camera sensitivity, but the lower the resolution; conversely, the thinner the scintillator, the higher the camera resolution, but the lower the sensitivity. Therefore, there is a contradiction between sensitivity and resolution in existing X-ray cameras that cannot be taken into account at the same time. At present, X-ray cameras at home and abroad generally pursue high resolution, and therefore use very thin (10μm~50μm) scintillators, but this also greatly reduces the absorption efficiency of the scintillator to X-rays, so high sensitivity cannot be guaranteed at the same time. Summary of the invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: how to provide an X-ray camera with high resolution and high sensitivity.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: An X-ray camera comprises a scientific camera and a housing sealed to an incident end of the scientific camera, wherein the housing is provided with an incident window opposite to the incident end of the scientific camera; Along the incident direction, a scintillator, a photonic crystal, a fiber panel and a fiber light cone are sequentially connected between the incident window and the incident end of the scientific camera; The large end of the optical fiber light cone is connected to the optical fiber panel; The small end of the optical fiber light cone is connected to the incident end of the scientific camera.

[0007] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the X-ray camera provided by the present invention effectively improves the optical transmission efficiency of the X-ray camera by removing the additional coupling layers such as the base layer, the optical adhesive layer, the protective layer, etc. of the traditional X-ray camera; and by setting a photonic crystal structure, the purpose of improving the sensitivity and detection efficiency of the X-ray camera is achieved; at the same time, under the action of the optical fiber panel, light scattering is further suppressed, thereby increasing the resolution of the X-ray camera. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 Shown is a schematic structural diagram of an X-ray camera according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 Shown is a working flow chart of an X-ray camera according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 Shown is a working principle diagram of a scintillator according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 It is a working principle diagram of a specific embodiment of the present invention when no optical fiber panel is provided and when an optical fiber panel is provided; Figure 5 Shown is a schematic diagram of the structure of an X-ray tube, an X-ray camera and a computer according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 Shown is a schematic structural diagram of a scintillator and a photonic crystal according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 X-ray excitation spectra of the scintillator light output for the tested photonic crystals; Figure 8 The X-ray excitation spectrum of the scintillator and the quantum efficiency of the camera are shown in Figure 2. Description of labels: 1. Scientific camera; 2. Shell; 21. Entrance window; 3. Scintillator; 4. Photonic crystal; 41. Transmission hole; 5. Fiber optic panel; 6. Fiber optic light cone; 7. Annular sleeve; 8. Optical coupling adhesive; 9. Computer; 10. X-ray tube; 11. Imaging objects; 12. X-ray; 13. Ultraviolet light; 14. Visible light; 15. Air. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] In order to explain the technical content, achieved objectives and effects of the present invention in detail, the following is an explanation in conjunction with the implementation modes and the accompanying drawings.

[0010] The most critical concept of the present invention is: by removing the additional coupling layers such as the base layer, optical adhesive layer, and protective layer of the traditional X-ray camera, the optical transmission efficiency of the X-ray camera is effectively improved; and the provision of photonic crystals can achieve the purpose of improving the sensitivity and detection efficiency of the X-ray camera; and under the action of the optical fiber panel, light scattering is further suppressed, thereby increasing the resolution of the X-ray camera.

[0011] Please refer to Figures 1 to 8 The X-ray camera provided by the present invention comprises a scientific camera 1 and a housing 2 sealedly connected to the incident end of the scientific camera 1, wherein the housing 2 is provided with an incident window 21 opposite to the incident end of the scientific camera 1; Along the incident direction, the incident window 21 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1 are connected in sequence with a scintillator 3, a photonic crystal 4, a fiber panel 5 and a fiber light cone 6; The large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is connected to the optical fiber panel 5; The small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is connected to the incident end of the scientific camera 1 .

[0012] Specifically, the scientific camera 1 is any commercially available scientific-grade Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor CMOS (sCMOS) camera with high sensitivity, low noise, high frame rate and high resolution; the scintillator 3, the photonic crystal 4, the optical fiber panel 5 and the optical fiber light cone 6 are connected in a seamless and close manner; the wavelength of the visible light 14 (530nm~560nm) emitted by the scintillator 3 matches the optimal quantum efficiency response wavelength (500nm~600nm) of the scientific camera 1, thereby enabling the camera to achieve optimal detector efficiency.

[0013] From the above description, it can be seen that the beneficial effects of the present invention are: providing an X-ray camera, by removing the additional coupling layers such as the base layer, optical adhesive layer, and protective layer of the traditional X-ray camera, thereby effectively improving the optical transmission efficiency of the X-ray camera; and by setting the photonic crystal 4, the purpose of improving the sensitivity and detection efficiency of the X-ray camera is achieved; at the same time, under the action of the optical fiber panel 5, light scattering is further suppressed, thereby increasing the resolution of the X-ray camera; compared with the existing X-ray cameras, the X-ray camera of the present invention solves the contradiction between high sensitivity and high resolution in traditional X-ray cameras, and can simultaneously achieve large-area high-sensitivity and high-resolution dynamic real-time imaging at a low X-ray radiation dose.

[0014] Furthermore, the above-mentioned X-ray camera further includes an annular sleeve 7; The scintillator 3, the photonic crystal 4 and the optical fiber panel 5 are all circular, and the diameters of the three are the same; The scintillator 3 , the photonic crystal 4 and the optical fiber panel 5 are simultaneously sleeved inside the annular sleeve 7 .

[0015] Furthermore, the thickness of the annular sleeve 7 is 1 mm to 3 mm.

[0016] Specifically, the material of the annular sleeve 7 of the present invention is preferably PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate); and the wall thickness of the annular sleeve 7 is preferably 1 mm.

[0017] From the above description, it can be seen that by setting the corresponding annular sleeve 7 on the scintillator 3, the photonic crystal 4 and the optical fiber panel 5, the scintillator 3, the photonic crystal 4 and the optical fiber panel 5 can be fixed and centrally aligned in the axial direction, thereby effectively improving the stability and positioning accuracy of the scintillator 3, the photonic crystal 4 and the optical fiber panel 5, thereby providing a guarantee for the final imaging effect.

[0018] Further, the thickness of the scintillator 3 is 100 μm to 300 μm; The incident surface of the scintillator 3 and the side surfaces of the scintillator 3 are both coated with a reflective film.

[0019] Furthermore, the photonic crystal 4 has transmission holes 41 distributed in a dot matrix; The transmission hole 41 penetrates the photonic crystal 4, and the extension direction of the transmission hole 41 is parallel to the thickness direction of the photonic crystal 4; The aperture of the transmission hole 41 is 50nm~200nm; The depth of the transmission hole 41 is 300 nm to 500 nm.

[0020] Further, the thickness of the optical fiber panel 5 is 1 mm to 3 mm; The optical fiber panel 5 is provided with a plurality of first monofilaments having regular hexagonal cross sections; The first monofilament passes through the optical fiber panel 5, and the extension direction of the first monofilament is parallel to the thickness direction of the optical fiber panel 5; The diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilament is 2 μm to 6 μm.

[0021] Furthermore, the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 are both circular; The diameter of the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is equal to the diameter of the optical fiber panel 5; The diameter of the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is matched with the size of the incident end of the scientific camera 1 .

[0022] Specifically, the scintillator 3 and the optical fiber panel 5 are both double-sided polished; the material of the present invention is preferably Ce:YAG (cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet), the thickness of the scintillator 3 is preferably 100μm, the reflective film is preferably an aluminum film, the thickness of the reflective film is 25nm~500nm, and preferably, the coating process method used for the reflective film is a vacuum evaporation method, that is, a layer of aluminum reflective film with a thickness of 100nm, a light transmittance of less than 4%, and a reflectivity of more than 96% is simultaneously evaporated on the incident surface and side of the scintillator 3, and the reflective film can play a corresponding role in shading, protection and anti-reflection; the material of the photonic crystal 4 is preferably AAO (anodized aluminum), the distribution density of the transmission holes 41 is consistent with the optimal emission wavelength of the scintillator 3, and the transmission holes 41 The aperture is preferably 50nm, and the depth of the transmission hole 41 is preferably 300nm. The photonic crystal 4 can effectively increase the light output of the scintillator 3, thereby improving the sensitivity of the camera. Since the inorganic scintillator 3 has a high refractive index, the scintillation light is easily totally internally reflected in the scintillator 3, resulting in low detection efficiency of the scintillator 3 detector. There are usually two methods of using the photonic crystal 4 to improve the light extraction efficiency of the scintillator 3. One is to prepare a two-dimensional photonic crystal 4 in the light-emitting layer so that the wavelength of the scintillation light is in the band gap of the photonic crystal 4, thereby suppressing the spontaneous radiation of the scintillation light in the direction of the photonic crystal 4, so that the scintillation light can only propagate in the vertical direction of the photonic crystal 4. This method is used to improve the light extraction efficiency of the scintillator 3 interface. The other method is to introduce a two-dimensional photonic crystal 4 at the interface of the inorganic scintillator 3, and use the grating diffraction of the periodic structure to improve the light extraction efficiency of the scintillator 3. This method will not damage the light-emitting layer. The present invention preferably adopts the second method to improve the light extraction efficiency of the scintillator 3; specifically, the two-dimensional photonic crystal 4 of limited thickness is easy to cover the surface of the scintillator 3 with a flat structure, and when the scintillation light reaches the interface, it couples with the photonic crystal 4, thereby achieving the purpose of regulation, which can improve the light extraction efficiency of the scintillator 3 and realize the regulation of the directionality of light emission; the thickness of the optical fiber panel 5 of the present application is preferably 1 mm, and the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilament is preferably 6 μm. The optical fiber panel 5 can effectively solve the lateral diffusion phenomenon of light, suppress light scattering, and thereby improve the resolution of the camera.

[0023] As can be seen from the above description, the design makes specific modifications to the structures of the scintillator 3, photonic crystal 4, fiber optic panel 5 and fiber optic light cone 6, thereby providing structural support for the X-ray camera of the present invention to simultaneously meet the requirements of high sensitivity and high resolution.

[0024] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 , the principle of photonic crystal 4 enhancing light extraction on the surface of scintillator 3 is: The photonic crystal 4 improves the light extraction efficiency of the scintillator 3 through the diffraction effect. Due to the diffraction effect of the periodic structure of the two-dimensional photonic crystal 4, the waveguide mode interacts with the photonic crystal 4. The added photonic crystal 4 forms an inherent reciprocal lattice vector G0 on the surface of the scintillator 3. When the light is emitted from the inside of the scintillator 3, the plane wave vector k / / of the light and the multiple of the reciprocal lattice vector G0 are coupled. If the relationship (1) is satisfied, the waveguide mode can be transformed into a leakage mode, so that the scintillation light escapes into the air 15.

[0025] Formula (1).

[0026] Wherein, represents the reciprocal lattice vector of the photonic crystal 4, a represents the lattice constant of the photonic crystal 4, and p represents the diffraction order and is an integer. k0 is the vacuum wave vector, and is the wavelength of the emitted light. It can be seen from the above formula that the lattice constant of the two-dimensional photonic crystal 4 is the key to determining whether the guided wave mode can be extracted. The emission angle of the leakage mode is determined by formula (2): Formula (2).

[0027] From a macroscopic point of view, the effect of the photonic crystal 4 is equivalent to increasing the critical angle of light emission.

[0028] Specifically, refer to Figure 4 The principle of the optical fiber panel 5 to suppress light scattering is: The visible light 14 photons generated by the scintillator 3 excited by X-rays have isotropic characteristics, and their emission is similar to that of a Lambertian light source. Therefore, in the process of the visible light 14 emitted by the scintillator 3 propagating to the photosensitive surface of the detector imaging device, the visible light 14 may diffuse laterally to its adjacent pixels, thereby causing image blur and reducing spatial resolution. According to the principle of optical waveguide to transmit light, the optical fiber panel 5 can effectively reduce the optical crosstalk between adjacent pixels. Due to total reflection, the scintillation light with an incident angle less than the critical angle will be guided by the optical fiber to propagate along the single-filament path, and the light entering the hole wall will be basically absorbed by the hole wall and will hardly be transmitted to the adjacent column.

[0029] Furthermore, the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 are both circular; The diameter of the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is equal to the diameter of the optical fiber panel 5; The diameter of the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is matched with the size of the incident end of the scientific camera 1 .

[0030] As can be seen from the above description, the design makes specific modifications to the structures of the scintillator 3, photonic crystal 4, fiber optic panel 5 and fiber optic light cone 6, thereby providing structural support for the X-ray camera of the present invention to simultaneously meet the requirements of high sensitivity and high resolution.

[0031] Further, the optical fiber light cone 6 is provided with a plurality of second monofilaments having a circular cross section; The large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 are connected through the second monofilament; The diameter of the second monofilament is greater than the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilament; The diameter of the second monofilament is 4 μm to 8 μm.

[0032] Specifically, the diameter of the second monofilament of the present invention is preferably 6 μm; From the above description, it can be seen that compared with squares and circles, setting the cross-section of the first monofilament to a regular hexagon can improve the effective filling rate of the optical fiber panel 5 and increase the luminous flux; and ensuring that the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilament is smaller than the diameter of the second monofilament can avoid the generation of moiré.

[0033] Furthermore, the above X-ray camera further includes an optical coupling adhesive 8; The small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1 are connected via an optical coupling adhesive 8 .

[0034] Further, when the optical coupling adhesive 8 is cured, a coupling layer is formed between the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1; The thickness of the coupling layer is less than 50 μm.

[0035] Specifically, the optical coupling adhesive 8 of the present invention is preferably a highly transparent UV photosensitive adhesive, and the thickness of the coupling layer after curing is preferably 10 nm; and when bonding the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1, it is necessary to use a mechanical method to remove the quartz glass protective window on the incident end of the scientific camera 1; then, the incident end of the scientific camera 1 with the quartz glass protective window removed is bonded by the optical coupling adhesive 8.

[0036] From the above description, it can be seen that the design further optimizes the connection method between the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1. By thinly coating the corresponding optical coupling adhesive 8 between the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1, the connection strength between the optical fiber light cone 6 and the scientific camera 1 can meet the design requirements, and the formed coupling layer can have a high light transmittance performance, so that the X-ray camera of the present invention has a higher conversion efficiency and a larger imaging area.

[0037] Furthermore, the thickness of the incident window 21 is 500 μm-1000 μm.

[0038] Specifically, the material of the incident window 21 of the present invention is preferably beryllium. The incident window 21 of this material can completely block the visible light 14 of the external environment while ensuring high transmittance of X-rays, thereby preventing the external stray light from affecting the camera imaging, and also has the functions of dustproof, sealing, and stable structure; the thickness of the incident window 21 is preferably 500μm; during actual use, the interior of the shell 2 is in a vacuum state, so that the scintillator 3, photonic crystal 4, optical fiber panel 5 and optical fiber light cone 6 can be vacuum-sealed inside the shell 2 to improve the structural stability and reliability of the X-ray camera.

[0039] From the above description, it can be seen that the design has made specific modifications to the thickness of the incident window 21. Without affecting the incident effect of the light source, the incident window 21 in this thickness range can also play a corresponding shading and sealing effect, thereby effectively protecting the scintillator 3, photonic crystal 4, optical fiber panel 5 and optical fiber light cone 6 inside the shell 2, thereby not only extending the service life of the equipment, but also improving the imaging stability.

[0040] Specifically, the X-ray camera of the present invention adopts a mechanical-adhesive cascade coupling method to construct and integrate the system from bottom to top. The design of the camera involves the organic connection of multiple key structural modules, which include: 1) Fiber light cone 6-image sensor coupling structure; 2) Optical fiber panel 5 - optical fiber light cone 6 coupling structure; 3) Incident window 21 - scintillator 3 - photonic crystal 4 coupling structure.

[0041] 1. Fiber Optic Taper 6—Image Sensor Coupling Structure In the coupling process between the optical fiber cone 6 and the image sensor, an acrylic UV photosensitive adhesive is used for bonding. This UV photosensitive adhesive has excellent optical transparency and stability, can effectively transmit optical signals in a wide spectral range, and significantly reduces the reflection and loss of optical signals on the coupling interface. In addition, in order to ensure precise alignment between the two, an automatic alignment device is designed to optimize the optical coupling efficiency by adjusting the position and angle of the optical fiber cone 6. The automatic alignment device mainly includes the following parts: Motion mechanism: 1) Linear drive: Using precision linear slides and stepper motors, the position of the fiber optic light cone can be adjusted in three directions (X, Y, and Z axes); 2) With a rotation mechanism: The angle of the fiber optic light cone can be adjusted through a servo motor or an electric slip ring to achieve more precise alignment.

[0042] Sensor feedback: 1) With light intensity sensor: A light intensity sensor is installed on the receiving surface to monitor the efficiency of light coupling in real time, and adjust the position and angle of the fiber light cone 6 according to the change of light intensity; 2) With image sensor: A camera is used to monitor the alignment between the optical fiber and the receiving surface, and feedback is provided through image processing algorithms.

[0043] Control system: 1) With microcontroller: Use a microcontroller or single-chip microcomputer as the control center to receive feedback signals from the sensor, calculate the optimal alignment position and angle, and control the motion mechanism for adjustment.

[0044] Human-computer interaction interface: 1) With display screen: Design a user-friendly interface, display the light intensity, position and angle information in real time, and provide the function of manual adjustment and setting parameters. Alarm system: When the optical coupling efficiency is lower than the set threshold, the system can automatically alarm and prompt the operator to check.

[0045] 2. Fiber optic panel 5 - fiber optic cone 6 coupling structure The coupling of the optical fiber panel 5 and the optical fiber cone 6 also adopts the bonding method. The optical fiber panel 5 here undergoes a specific surface treatment, that is, firstly, the surface chemical properties of the optical fiber panel 5 are changed by plasma technology, the polarity and active groups are increased, and the compatibility with the glue is significantly improved; then the optical fiber panel is cleaned with a solvent (such as isopropyl alcohol or ethanol) to remove dust, grease or other contaminants on the surface, thereby enhancing the adhesion between the bonding surface and the glue to improve the stability of the optical coupling. In this structure, the optical fiber panel 5 adopts a micron-level layout process, so that each optical fiber can be evenly distributed and efficiently docked with the receiving end of the optical fiber cone 6. The coupling structure design is intended to maximize the efficiency of light transmission and ensure minimum loss during signal transmission.

[0046] 3. Incident window 21 - scintillator 3 - photonic crystal 4 coupling structure The coupling structure of the incident window 21, the scintillator 3 and the photonic crystal 4 is arranged in the annular sleeve 7 by mechanical connection. This design takes into account the thermal expansion coefficient and mechanical strength of the material to ensure the contact reliability between the modules when the working environment changes. The scintillator 3 is prepared by the pulling method, which can control the growth rate and thickness of the film to form a material with excellent scintillation performance. The thickness and refractive index of the scintillator 3 are optimized to achieve the best light transmission characteristics and minimum scattering.

[0047] The manufacturing process of Ce:YAG scintillator 3 includes the following steps: raw material preparation, crystal growth, processing and post-processing. Yttrium oxide, aluminum oxide and cerium oxide are weighed in strict proportions and mixed evenly. Pre-sintering is performed at high temperatures (between 900°C and 1200°C) to promote chemical reactions, remove moisture and gas, improve the chemical uniformity of the material, and form a precursor. The crystal growth adopts the pulling method, where the pre-sintered material is placed in a high-temperature furnace and melted at a high temperature of more than 2000°C. A seed crystal is slowly pulled out of the melt. The seed crystal gradually grows on the surface of the melt through slow pulling and rotation to form a single crystal YAG scintillator. After the crystal growth is completed, it is cooled and removed. The crystal is then cut into the required cylinders and the surface is polished to ensure optical transparency and scintillation performance.

[0048] The photonic crystal 4 is made by the self-assembly template method. This method uses the principle of molecular self-assembly to form an ordered photonic crystal structure with a strong photonic bandgap effect, which significantly improves the selectivity and transmission efficiency of optical signals. By adjusting the concentration, temperature and time of the solution during the self-assembly process, photonic crystals 4 with different characteristics can be achieved to meet specific application requirements.

[0049] The process of making anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) photonic crystals 4 by the self-assembly template method includes the following key steps: First, a 1-5 micron thick high-purity aluminum film is deposited on the substrate using physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology. Subsequently, the aluminum film is immersed in an electrolyte (such as sulfuric acid) with a concentration of 0.1~0.3M in a low temperature environment of 0℃ to 20℃, and a voltage of 10~40V is applied for anodization, usually for 30 minutes to several hours to form an AAO template with uniform pore size (20~200 nanometers) and spacing. Next, a suitable photonic crystal material (such as polystyrene) is selected to fill the holes in the AAO template, and it is achieved by spin coating or dip coating. The curing process may require UV light irradiation for a few seconds or heat treatment at 100~150℃ for several hours. Finally, the AAO template is chemically etched and removed using 5~10% hydrofluoric acid (HF), and annealed at 150~300℃ to improve the optical properties of the photonic crystal. Through this series of steps, AAO photonic crystals with excellent structural and optical properties can be successfully prepared.

[0050] 4. Manufacturing process of optical fiber panel 5 and optical fiber light cone 6 The manufacturing process of the optical fiber panel 5 and the optical fiber light cone 6 involves three steps: drawing, layout and hot pressing. During the drawing process, high-temperature drawing technology is used to ensure that the diameter of the optical fiber is uniform and controllable. During the layout process, the optical fiber is arranged according to the design pattern through high-precision automated equipment to minimize the loss of optical signals. Hot pressing is used to further enhance the interface contact between the optical fibers, ensure a uniform optical contact surface during the bonding process, and enhance the coupling effect.

[0051] The production process of the optical fiber panel includes the following key steps: first, the optical fiber preform is prepared using high-purity silica, usually by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at a temperature of 900℃~1200℃; then, the preform is drawn at a high temperature of about 2000℃ into an optical fiber with a standard diameter of 2~6 microns; next, the optical fiber is cut into the required length and grinded and polished to ensure a smooth end face; the optical fiber is arranged in the template with micron-level precision and fixed with UV glue, and then packaged and edge-reinforced to protect the optical fiber; finally, the surface is polished and coated with an anti-reflection coating to optimize the light transmission efficiency and ensure that the performance of the optical fiber panel meets high standards.

[0052] The X-ray camera of the present invention can assist in the detection of X-ray energy.

[0053] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 , Embodiment 1 of the present invention is: An X-ray camera comprises a scientific camera 1, an annular sleeve 7, an optical coupling adhesive 8 and a housing 2 sealedly connected to the incident end of the scientific camera 1, wherein the housing 2 is provided with an incident window 21 opposite to the incident end of the scientific camera 1; along the incident direction, a scintillator 3, a photonic crystal 4, an optical fiber panel 5 and an optical fiber light cone 6 are sequentially connected between the incident window 21 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1; the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is connected to the optical fiber panel 5; the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is connected to the incident end of the scientific camera 1; the scintillator 3, the photonic crystal 4, the optical fiber panel 5 and the optical fiber light cone 6 are connected to the incident end of the scientific camera 1; The crystal 4 and the optical fiber panel 5 are all circular, and their diameters are consistent; the scintillator 3, the photonic crystal 4 and the optical fiber panel 5 are simultaneously sleeved inside the annular sleeve 7; the thickness of the annular sleeve 7 is 1 mm; the thickness of the scintillator 3 is 100 μm; the incident surface of the scintillator 3 and the side surface of the scintillator 3 are both coated with a reflective film; the photonic crystal 4 is dot-arrayed with transmission holes 41; the transmission holes 41 penetrate the photonic crystal 4, and the extension direction of the transmission holes 41 is parallel to the thickness direction of the photonic crystal 4; the aperture of the transmission holes 41 is 50 nm, that is, Figure 6 The depth of the transmission hole 41 is 300nm, that is, Figure 6h in the figure; the wall thickness of the optical fiber panel 5 is 1 mm; a plurality of first monofilaments with regular hexagonal cross sections are arranged on the optical fiber panel 5; the first monofilaments penetrate the optical fiber panel 5, and the extension direction of the first monofilaments is parallel to the thickness direction of the optical fiber panel 5; the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilaments is 6 μm; the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 are both circular; the diameter of the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is equal to the diameter of the optical fiber panel 5; the diameter of the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is adapted to the size of the incident end of the scientific camera 1; the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 are both circular; the diameter of the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the diameter of the optical fiber panel 5 are equal to the diameter of the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6. The diameters of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1 are equal; the diameter of the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 is adapted to the size of the incident end of the scientific camera 1; the optical fiber light cone 6 is provided with a plurality of second monofilaments with circular cross-sections; the large end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 are connected through the second monofilaments; the diameter of the second monofilament is greater than the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilament; the diameter of the second monofilament is 6 μm; the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1 are connected through an optical coupling adhesive 8; when the optical coupling adhesive 8 is cured, a coupling layer is formed between the small end of the optical fiber light cone 6 and the incident end of the scientific camera 1; the thickness of the coupling layer is 10 nm; the thickness of the incident window 21 is 500 μm.

[0054] The working principle of the present invention is as follows: first, an X-ray 12 is emitted by an X-ray tube 10 and transmits through an imaging object 11 to form a beam of X-ray signals carrying structural information of the imaging object 11; then, the formed X-ray signal is converted into a visible light 14 signal carrying structural information of the imaging object 11 by a scintillator 3, and then the light output of the scintillator 3 is greatly enhanced by a photonic crystal 4; next, the enhanced visible light 14 signal is transmitted to the image sensor of the scientific camera 1 through a coupling structure formed by an optical fiber panel 5 and an optical fiber light cone 6 for photoelectric conversion processing to obtain a digital image of the imaging object 11; finally, the digital image is transmitted to a computer 9 for display.

[0055] The difference between the second embodiment of the present invention and the first embodiment is that: The thickness of the annular sleeve 7 is 3 mm; the thickness of the scintillator 3 is 300 μm; the aperture of the transmission hole 41 is 200 nm; the depth of the transmission hole 41 is 500 nm; the wall thickness of the optical fiber panel 5 is 3 mm; the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilament is 2 μm; the diameter of the second monofilament is 4 μm; the thickness of the incident window 21 is 1000 μm.

[0056] The difference between the third embodiment of the present invention and the first embodiment is that: The thickness of the annular sleeve 7 is 2 mm; the thickness of the scintillator 3 is 200 μm; the aperture of the transmission hole 41 is 150 nm; the depth of the transmission hole 41 is 400 nm; the wall thickness of the optical fiber panel 5 is 2 mm; the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilament is 4 μm; the diameter of the second monofilament is 8 μm; the thickness of the incident window 21 is 800 μm.

[0057] In summary, the X-ray camera provided by the present invention removes the additional coupling layers such as the base layer, the optical adhesive layer, and the protective layer of the traditional X-ray conversion screen, thereby improving the optical transmission efficiency of the X-ray camera, and effectively improving the sensitivity and detection efficiency of the X-ray camera by using the photonic crystal structure; at the same time, the optical fiber panel structure suppresses light scattering, effectively improving the resolution of the X-ray camera; in addition, by thinly coating the corresponding optical coupling adhesive between the small head end of the optical fiber light cone and the incident end of the scientific camera, the connection strength between the optical fiber light cone and the scientific camera can meet the design requirements, and the formed coupling layer can have a high light transmittance, so that the X-ray camera of the present invention has a higher conversion efficiency and a larger imaging area; the X-ray camera of the present invention solves the contradiction between high sensitivity and high resolution existing in traditional X-ray cameras, and can simultaneously achieve large-area high-sensitivity and high-resolution dynamic real-time imaging at a low X-ray radiation dose.

[0058] The above descriptions are merely embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An X-ray camera, comprising a scientific camera and a housing sealed and connected to an incident end of the scientific camera, It is characterized in that The housing is provided with an incident window opposite to the incident end of the scientific camera; Along the incident direction, a scintillator, a photonic crystal, a fiber panel and a fiber light cone are sequentially connected between the incident window and the incident end of the scientific camera; The large end of the optical fiber light cone is connected to the optical fiber panel; The small end of the optical fiber light cone is connected to the incident end of the scientific camera.

2. The X-ray camera according to claim 1, It is characterized in that Also included is an annular sleeve; The scintillator, photonic crystal and optical fiber panel are all circular, and the diameters of the three are consistent; The scintillator, the photonic crystal and the optical fiber panel are simultaneously sleeved inside the annular sleeve.

3. The X-ray camera according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The wall thickness of the annular sleeve is 1 mm to 3 mm.

4. The X-ray camera according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The thickness of the scintillator is 100 μm to 300 μm; The incident surface and the side surfaces of the scintillator are both coated with a reflective film.

5. The X-ray camera according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The photonic crystal is provided with transmission holes distributed in a lattice; The transmission hole penetrates the photonic crystal, and the extension direction of the transmission hole is parallel to the thickness direction of the photonic crystal; The aperture of the transmission hole is 50nm~200nm; The depth of the transmission hole is 300nm~500nm.

6. The X-ray camera according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The thickness of the optical fiber panel is 1 mm to 3 mm; The optical fiber panel is provided with a plurality of first monofilaments with regular hexagonal cross sections; The first monofilament passes through the optical fiber panel, and the extension direction of the first monofilament is parallel to the thickness direction of the optical fiber panel; The diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilament is 2 μm to 6 μm.

7. The X-ray camera according to claim 6, It is characterized in that The large end and the small end of the optical fiber light cone are both round; The diameter of the large end of the optical fiber light cone is equal to the diameter of the optical fiber panel; The diameter of the small end of the optical fiber light cone is matched with the size of the incident end of the scientific camera.

8. The X-ray camera according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The optical fiber light cone is provided with a plurality of second monofilaments having a circular cross section; The large end of the optical fiber light cone and the small end of the optical fiber light cone are connected through a second monofilament; The diameter of the second monofilament is greater than the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the first monofilament; The diameter of the second monofilament is 4 μm to 8 μm.

9. The X-ray camera according to claim 1, It is characterized in that Also included is an optical coupling adhesive; The small end of the optical fiber light cone and the incident end of the scientific camera are connected through an optical coupling adhesive.

10. The X-ray camera according to claim 9, It is characterized in that When the optical coupling adhesive is cured, a coupling layer is formed between the small end of the optical fiber light cone and the incident end of the scientific camera; The thickness of the coupling layer is less than 50 μm.

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