Scanning device and imaging system

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention discloses an image scanning device and an imaging system. The image scanning device comprises a laser light source which is used for providing laser for exciting an image plate; the scanning chip comprises a refractive index control structure and an optical waveguide structure with an incident light channel and an emergent light channel array, the incident light channel is used for coupling the laser emitted by the laser light source, and the emergent light channel array is used for outputting the laser entering through the incident light channel; and the refractive index control structure is used for enabling laser entering from the incident light channel to be sequentially emitted from the emergent light channel array by changing the refractive index of the optical waveguide structure so as to scan the image plate. According to the image scanning device disclosed by the embodiment of the invention, the scanning chip can be used for replacing a mechanically rotating galvanometer, and the scanning laser emitted from different positions can be formed based on the incident laser without mechanically rotating the scanning chip.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of laser scanning imaging technology, and in particular to scanning devices and imaging systems. Background Art

[0002] The scanning device of the imaging system uses a spatial optical path to scan the image plate. The spatial optical path system uses the rotation of the galvanometer to make the incident light emit at different angles to form a laser that scans and excites the image plate. However, as the galvanometer rotates, the scanning light spot moves from the previous pixel unit position to the next pixel unit position, making it impossible to accurately distinguish the fluorescence generated by the excitation of two adjacent scanning light spots, affecting the imaging quality. Summary of the invention

[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a scanning device and an imaging system, aiming to solve one or more of the above problems and other potential problems.

[0004] According to the first aspect of the present disclosure, a scanning device is provided, the scanning device comprising: a laser light source for providing laser light for exciting an image plate; and a scanning chip, comprising a refractive index control structure, and an optical waveguide structure having an incident light channel and an output light channel array, wherein the incident light channel is used to couple the laser light emitted by the laser light source, the output light channel array is used to output the laser light entering through the incident light channel, and the refractive index control structure is used to change the refractive index of the optical waveguide structure so that the laser light entering the incident light channel is sequentially emitted from the output light channel array to scan the image plate. According to the image scanning device of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the scanning chip can be used to replace the mechanically rotating galvanometer, and the scanning laser light emitted from different positions can be formed based on the incident laser light without mechanically rotating the scanning chip.

[0005] In some embodiments, the refractive index control structure includes: a resistor array, including a plurality of heating resistors corresponding to each output light channel in the output light channel array; and an electrode array, including a plurality of control electrodes corresponding to each heating resistor in the resistor array, the control electrodes are used to apply a voltage signal to the corresponding heating resistor, and the voltage signals applied by the heating resistors of each output light channel have the same frequency and different amplitudes, so that the laser entering the incident channel is emitted from the output light channel array in sequence to scan the image plate.

[0006] In some embodiments, the image scanning device also includes: a power supply, including multiple voltage output channels corresponding to each control electrode in the electrode array, the voltage output channels are electrically connected to the corresponding control electrodes, and the output voltages of each voltage output channel have the same frequency and different amplitudes.

[0007] In some embodiments, the image scanning device further includes: an image plate loading device for loading the image plate to move in a line feed direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the image plate; and the frequency of the voltage signal applied by each control electrode in the electrode array matches the movement period of the image plate.

[0008] In some embodiments, the image plate loading device loads the image plate and moves intermittently in a line-feed direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the image plate; and after the laser completes a line scan on the image plate, the image plate moves from the current position to the position of the next scanning line perpendicular to the image plate.

[0009] In some embodiments, the image plate loading device loads the image plate to move at a uniform speed in a line feed direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the image plate; and the moving speed v of the image plate and the period T of the voltage signal meet the relationship: Wherein, h represents half of the distance between two adjacent scanning lines on the image plate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the scanning chip further includes: an incident optical fiber for coupling with an incident light channel of the optical waveguide structure; and an output optical fiber array including a plurality of output optical fibers respectively coupled with respective output light channels of the optical waveguide structure.

[0011] In some embodiments, the scanning chip also includes a silicon material substrate for carrying an optical waveguide structure; and the optical waveguide structure also includes: a polymer material layer, disposed on the silicon material substrate; and a germanium material guide core, disposed in the polymer material layer, wherein the germanium material guide core is provided with an incident light channel and an output light channel array.

[0012] In some embodiments, the scanning chip further includes: an optical isolation element disposed between adjacent output light channels.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an imaging system comprises: a scanning device according to the first aspect, for scanning the image plate; and an imaging device, for forming a digital image corresponding to the image plate based on the fluorescence generated by the image plate under laser excitation of the image scanning device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become readily understood by reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, several embodiments of the present disclosure are shown by way of example and not limitation.

[0015] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the structure of an image scanning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the arrangement of a resistor array of a scanning chip of an image scanning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the related structures of a heating resistor and a control electrode of an image scanning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a first matching method between the period (ie, frequency) of the output voltage of the voltage output channel of the power supply according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and the movement period of the image board.

[0019] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing a second matching method between the period (ie, frequency) of the output voltage of the voltage output channel of the power supply according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and the movement period of the image board.

[0020] Figure 6 A front cross-sectional view of a scanning chip of an image scanning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0021] Figure 7 A top cross-sectional view of a scanning chip of an image scanning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the structure of an image scanning device with a reflecting mirror according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0024] The term "including" and its variations used in this document represent open inclusion, that is, "including but not limited to". Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or". The term "based on" means "based at least in part on". The terms "an example embodiment" and "an embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment". The term "another embodiment" means "at least one other embodiment". Terms such as "upper", "lower", "front", and "rear" indicating placement or positional relationships are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the principles of the present disclosure, and do not indicate or imply that the referred elements must have a specific orientation, be constructed or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limitations on the present disclosure.

[0025] X-ray imaging technology uses the penetrating properties of X-rays to generate images of the internal structures of the human body. Through imaging plates and reading equipment, the latent images formed by X-ray irradiation can be converted into digital images, providing high-resolution diagnostic information. This technology is widely used in medical imaging, especially in oral scanning. The imaging plate is a digital X-ray imaging medium, and its surface is composed of multiple pixel units. Each pixel unit stores a latent image, reflecting the intensity of X-ray irradiation. During the scanning process, the laser excites each pixel on the imaging plate point by point, causing it to re-emit light, thereby converting the latent image into a digital signal and generating a detailed digital image to facilitate the doctor's diagnosis.

[0026] As mentioned above, in the imaging technology, the scanning device forms lasers with different emission angles through the deflection of the galvanometer to scan the image plate. As the galvanometer rotates, the scanning light spot moves from the previous pixel unit position to the next pixel unit position. The scanning light used to excite adjacent pixel points exists continuously, making it impossible to accurately distinguish the fluorescence generated by the excitation of two adjacent scanning light spots, affecting the imaging quality. Especially in application scenarios that require high resolution, the light spots are more densely distributed on the image plate, and the signal interference of adjacent pixel points is more obvious, which can easily cause image distortion.

[0027] In view of this, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an image scanning device that does not require a mechanical galvanometer to provide a scanning laser. The image scanning device can use a scanning chip to replace the mechanically rotating galvanometer, and can form scanning lasers emitted from different positions based on the incident laser without mechanically rotating the scanning chip. In this way, the scanning light spot disappears from the position of the previous pixel unit and reappears at the position of the next pixel unit, so that the scanning lights used to excite adjacent pixel points are isolated from each other, making it easier to distinguish and improving the imaging quality. The principle of the image scanning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Figure 1An imaging scanning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, including a scanning device and an imaging device. This embodiment can be used for scanning image plates for oral clinical medical treatment. In oral medicine, this technology is often used for dental X-ray examinations, which can provide detailed images of teeth and jaws, and help dentists diagnose and treat various oral diseases. Specifically, an image plate (Image Plate, IP) is a photosensitive plate used in the X-ray imaging process. When X-rays pass through human tissue, the image plate absorbs radiation of different intensities and forms a latent image on the plate. Afterwards, the image plate is scanned by a scanning device, and the imaging device collects and processes the light signal generated by the image plate when it is excited, and a digital image corresponding to the image plate can be obtained. Specifically, the scanning device generates a laser to scan the image plate, so that the image plate generates fluorescence under the laser excitation of the image scanning device. The imaging device can form a scanned image corresponding to the image plate based on the fluorescence generated by the image plate when it is excited. A schematic diagram of the main structure of the image scanning device 1000. As shown Figure 1 As shown, the image scanning device 1000 may include a laser light source 1100 and a scanning chip 1200. The laser light source 1100 is used to provide laser light for exciting the image plate 2000. For example, the laser light source may be a visible light laser, a near-infrared laser, a semiconductor laser, a multi-wavelength laser, an ultrafast pulse laser, etc. The scanning chip 1200 includes an optical waveguide structure 1220 having an incident light channel 1221 and an outgoing light channel array 1222. The laser light 1110 entering the optical waveguide structure through the incident light channel 1221 can be emitted from one of the multiple outgoing light channels of the outgoing light channel array 1222. The change in the refractive index of the material in the optical waveguide structure can change the outgoing light channel from which the incident laser light is finally emitted, thereby changing the emission angle of the laser light. In order to form scanning lasers with different exit angles, the exit light channel array 1222 may include multiple exit light channels arranged in rows or columns. When the laser is emitted from the exit light channel array in sequence (for example, from top to bottom or from left to right), a scanning laser that excites the image plate will be formed. The exit lasers emitted from different exit light channels in the scanning laser hit different positions on the image plate to form laser light spots. The laser light spots stimulate fluorescence on the image plate. The imaging device can form a scanned image (i.e., a digital image) according to the fluorescence stimulated at different positions on the image plate. The scanning direction of the scanning laser on the image plate is the moving direction of the laser light spot on the image plate when the scanning laser hits the image plate in sequence. In order to change the exit light channel from which the exit laser is emitted in the optical waveguide structure, the scanning chip also includes a refractive index control structure 1210 that can change the refractive index of the optical waveguide structure. The refractive index control structure can change the refractive index of the material in the optical waveguide structure based on the electro-optical effect or the thermo-optical effect, so that the laser entering the incident light channel of the optical waveguide structure is sequentially emitted from the exit light channel array to scan the image plate.

[0029] In this way, changing the refractive index of the optical waveguide material based on the electro-optic effect or the thermo-optic effect can replace the mechanically rotating galvanometer, realize the scanning laser emitted from different positions and isolated from each other, thereby improving the imaging quality of the image scanning device. In addition, the distance between the scanning light spots depends on the distance between the corresponding output light channels, so that the scanning light spots are controllably isolated, so that the signals generated by adjacent pixel points on the image board can be better and more controllably isolated, and the performance requirements of the photoelectric detector and the photoelectric conversion device in the imaging device can be reduced. For example, in the high-resolution oral scanning of the related prior art, it is necessary to use an ultra-high-voltage photomultiplier tube with electromagnetic shielding and a high-sensitivity photodetector, while the scanning device of the embodiment of the present disclosure can achieve the same resolution without using a photomultiplier tube, or only using an ordinary photodetector, which greatly reduces the cost and volume of the imaging device (i.e., the entire imaging system). In the related prior art, when the galvanometer rotates, the middle part of the galvanometer close to the rotation center will rotate slower than the two end parts of the galvanometer far from the rotation center, which will cause the laser light spots scanned on the image board to be unevenly distributed, thereby affecting the imaging quality. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, by evenly distributing each output light channel in the output light channel array, the laser light spot can be evenly scanned on the image board, further improving the imaging quality. In addition, the spot shapes formed by lasers emitted from different angles are different, and the energy distribution at different positions on the spot is also different, which will cause differences in the fluorescence generated by different scanning light spots on the image board, and ultimately affect the linearity of the image. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the laser is emitted in parallel from each output light channel at the same output angle, which can ensure that the spot shape and energy distribution formed by the laser emitted from each output light channel remain consistent, and those skilled in the art can easily design a standard circular spot with a strong energy distribution in the middle and weak edges. In addition, since the embodiment of the present disclosure no longer uses a galvanometer that needs to rotate at high speed and is easily worn, the service life of the scanning system is improved.

[0030] In some embodiments, the refractive index control structure 1210 can be configured with a corresponding heating resistor 1211 for each output light channel of the output light channel array. The heating resistors corresponding to each output light channel in the output light channel array constitute a resistor array. Each heating resistor in the resistor array heats the contact position of the optical waveguide structure to different degrees, so that the refractive index of the optical waveguide structure at different positions is different, which can ultimately affect the output light channel from which the laser entering through the incident light channel is emitted. Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the electrical array of the scanning chip of the image scanning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2As shown, the resistor array 1211 includes a plurality of heating resistors (1211-1, 1211-2 ... 1211-N), each of which is arranged on the optical waveguide structure 1220 corresponding to an outgoing optical channel of the outgoing optical channel array. The power supply is used to supply power to the heating resistor, and the heating resistor will generate heat when it is energized, and the optical waveguide structure near the heating resistor is heated, thereby changing the refractive index of the optical waveguide structure at the corresponding position based on the thermo-optical effect. The power supply can be one or more single-channel power supplies, and a multi-channel voltage signal for supplying power to each heating resistor is formed through a hardware circuit design such as a delay device, a trigger, and a voltage conversion circuit. The power supply can also be a multi-channel power supply 1300, and each channel outputs a different voltage signal to control the heating of a heating resistor of an outgoing optical channel, thereby controlling the emission position of the laser to form a scanning laser. For example, the power supply can simultaneously apply voltage signals with the same frequency and different amplitudes to the heating resistors of each outgoing optical channel, so that the laser entering the incident channel is sequentially emitted from the outgoing optical channel array (due to the different refractive indices of the channels, the time for the laser to be emitted from the outgoing optical channel is also different) to scan the image plate. In the related prior art, under the condition of a fixed light source, due to the different optical path lengths caused by the oscillation of the galvanometer, the light spot will reach the middle area of ​​the scanning line faster than the two end areas of the scanning line, resulting in more photoelectric attenuation of the light spot in the middle area than the two end areas. The inconsistent energy of the light spot will affect the linearity of the imaging. Because the calculation of the optical path is the spatial distance divided by the refractive index, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of changing the refractive index of different output light channels under different voltages can make the optical path of the laser emitted by different output light channels consistent, thereby compensating for the optical path difference and avoiding the nonlinear problem caused by the inconsistent attenuation of different light spots in the scanning line.

[0031] In some embodiments, a corresponding control electrode can be configured for each heating resistor and electrically connected to a voltage output channel of a multi-channel power supply, and the control electrodes corresponding to each heating resistor in the resistor array form an electrode array for controlling heating of the resistor array. The control electrode can apply a voltage signal to the corresponding heating resistor, so that the heating resistor generates heat. Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the related structures of the heating resistor and the control electrode of the image scanning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 As shown, the heating resistor 1211 is disposed on the surface of the optical waveguide structure 1220 and in contact with the optical waveguide structure, and the control electrode 1212 can be disposed on the top or other parts of the heating resistor 1211. The heating resistor 1212 is powered by the control electrode 1212, and the heat generated by the heating resistor can affect the refractive index of the nearby optical waveguide structure 1220.

[0032] When the laser light entering through the incident light channel of the optical waveguide structure is sequentially emitted from each outgoing light channel in the outgoing light channel array, the laser light spot emitted by the scanning laser on the image board moves one scanning line on the image board. In some embodiments, the image scanning device may also include an image board loading device for loading the image board to move in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the image board (i.e., perpendicular to the direction of the scanning line). The image board is fixed on the image board loading device, and the image board loading device will drive the image board to move a fixed distance at regular intervals. After the movement, the scanning laser hits another scanning line on the image board that has not been scanned.

[0033] In some embodiments, the frequency of the voltage signal applied by each control electrode in the electrode array matches the movement period of the image plate, wherein the movement period of the image plate refers to the time interval between two adjacent movements of the image plate. Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a first matching method of the cycle (ie, the frequency of the output voltage) of the voltage output channel of the power supply according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and the moving cycle of the image board. Figure 4 As shown, the period is T, and the amplitudes are V1, V2…V N The output voltages 1310-1, 1310-2, ... 1310-N are respectively applied to the heating resistors corresponding to different output light channels. The voltage amplitudes applied to each heating resistor at each moment t are different, and the heat generated by the heating resistors is different, thereby forming different refractive indices in the optical waveguide structure, and the incident laser can be controlled to be emitted from different output light channels. The output voltages applied to each heating resistor change synchronously with a period T, and each period T completes the scanning of a scanning line 2001 of the image plate 2000. At the end of each period T, after the scanning laser completes the scanning of a scanning line, the image plate loading device drives the image plate 2000 to move from the current position to the position of the next scanning line in the line feed direction. Subsequently, in the next period T, the scanning laser completes the scanning of the next scanning line of the image plate. This cycle is repeated until the scanning of all scanning lines on the image plate is completed. In this way, accurate matching of line scanning and line feed actions can be achieved, thereby improving scanning efficiency and accuracy.

[0034] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing a second matching method of the cycle (ie, the frequency of the output voltage) of the voltage output channel of the power supply according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and the moving cycle of the image board. Figure 5 As shown, the period is T, and the amplitudes are V1, V2…V NThe output voltages 1310-1, 1310-2…1310-N are respectively applied to the heating resistors corresponding to different output light channels. The voltage amplitudes applied to each heating resistor at each moment t are different, and the heat generated by the heating resistors is different, thereby forming different refractive indices in the optical waveguide structure, which can control the incident laser to be emitted from different output light channels. The output voltages applied to each heating resistor change synchronously with a period T, and each period T completes the scanning of a scanning line 2001 of the image plate 2000. In each period T, the image plate loading device controls the image plate to move at a constant speed v in the line feed direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the image plate. In addition, the relationship between the moving speed v of the image plate and the period T of the voltage signal satisfies: Wherein, h represents half of the distance between two adjacent scanning lines on the image board. In some embodiments, the distance between scanning lines can be determined according to the size of the pixel unit of the image board. For example, if the pixel size is 32*64 microns, the distance h between scanning lines is the height of the pixel in the vertical direction, which is 64 microns.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the scanning chip 1200 also includes an incident optical fiber 1230 and an output optical fiber array. The incident optical fiber 1230 can be arranged perpendicular to the laser incident end face of the optical waveguide structure and coupled with the incident optical channel 1221 of the optical waveguide structure. The output optical fiber array 1240 includes a plurality of output optical fibers 1240 respectively used to couple with each output optical channel 1222 of the optical waveguide structure. Each optical fiber can independently receive the laser emitted from the corresponding output optical channel, so that the optical fibers in the output optical fiber array can be closely arranged to reduce the size of the device. The laser emitted by the laser light source enters the optical waveguide structure through the incident optical fiber 1230 and is emitted from the output optical fiber 1240, which can reduce scattering, absorption and other forms of loss during laser propagation, avoid the influence of external environmental factors (such as vibration, dust, etc.) on the light path, better control the characteristics of the light beam input to the optical waveguide structure, and at the same time ensure the consistency of the excitation energy of the image plate, further improve the imaging quality. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the incident light 1230 may be a single-mode optical fiber, and the output optical fiber 1240 may also be a single-mode optical fiber.

[0036] like Figure 6-Figure 7As shown, in some embodiments, the scanning chip 1200 also includes a silicon material substrate 1250 for carrying the optical waveguide structure 1220. Silicon material has good mechanical strength and thermal conductivity, which can provide stable mechanical support for the optical waveguide structure and help dissipate heat. The optical waveguide structure 1220 specifically includes a polymer material layer 1260 disposed on the silicon material substrate 1250, and a germanium material guide core 1270 disposed in the polymer material layer 1260, and the aforementioned incident light channel 1221 and the output light channel array 1222 are provided in the germanium material guide core 1270. The germanium material guide core has a higher refractive index and is suitable as the core layer of the optical waveguide structure to guide light to propagate therein. The polymer material has a lower refractive index and can form a refractive index difference with the germanium material guide core to limit the propagation of light in the waveguide structure. At the same time, under the action of the thermo-optical effect, the refractive index of the polymer material will change, thereby adjusting the laser emission angle. For example, the change value of the refractive index n of the output light channel It is proportional to the square of the output voltage of the control electrode on the output light channel. When the current passes through the heating resistor of the output light channel, heat is generated, which causes the temperature of the material at the output channel to rise. As the temperature rises, the refractive index of the output light channel changes: Wherein, γ is the photothermal coefficient of the polymer material (unit: 1 / k), θ represents the thermal resistance of the polymer material (unit: k / W); R represents the resistance value of the heating resistor of the output channel (unit: Ω), and V represents the voltage value applied to the heating resistor (unit: v).

[0037] In some embodiments, in the polymer material layer, a light isolator 1280 is further provided between adjacent exit light channels to improve the isolation of lasers between the exit light channels. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, carbon nanotubes may be used as light isolators. In some embodiments, one or more reflectors may be provided between the scanning chip and the image board to transmit the exit laser of the scanning chip to the image board. Figure 8 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an image scanning device with a reflector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8As shown, the reflector 1400 is arranged on the optical path of the laser emitted by the scanning chip 1200 to reflect the laser emitted by the scanning chip 1200 to the image plate 2000. In this way, the positions of the scanning chip 1200 and the image plate 2000 can be flexibly adjusted as needed to achieve a more compact layout. Although several specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Certain features described in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations individually or in any suitable sub-combination.

[0038] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological logical actions, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. On the contrary, the specific features and actions described above are merely example forms of implementing the claims.

[0039] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, and the above description is exemplary, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The selection of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or technical improvements in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. Scanning device, comprising: A laser light source (1100) for providing laser light (1110) for exciting the image plate (2000); as well as A scanning chip (1200) comprises a refractive index control structure and an optical waveguide structure (1220) having an incident light channel (1221) and an output light channel array (1222), wherein the incident light channel (1221) is used to couple the laser light emitted by the laser light source, the output light channel array (1222) is used to output the laser light entering through the incident light channel, and the refractive index control structure is used to change the refractive index of the optical waveguide structure so that the laser light entering through the incident light channel is sequentially emitted from the output light channel array to scan the image plate.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the refractive index control structure (1210) comprises: A resistor array, comprising a plurality of heating resistors (1211) corresponding to each of the output light channels in the output light channel array; as well as The electrode array includes a plurality of control electrodes (1212) corresponding to each heating resistor in the resistor array, the control electrodes are used to apply voltage signals to the corresponding heating resistors, and the voltage signals of the heating resistors of each output light channel have the same frequency and different amplitudes, so that the laser entering the incident channel is emitted from the output light channel array in sequence to scan the image plate.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: The power supply (1300) comprises a plurality of voltage output channels respectively corresponding to the control electrodes in the electrode array, the voltage output channels are electrically connected to the corresponding control electrodes, and the output voltages (1310) of the various voltage output channels have the same frequency but different amplitudes.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: An image plate loading device, used for loading the image plate to move in a line feed direction perpendicular to a scanning direction of the image plate; Furthermore, the frequency of the voltage signal applied by each control electrode in the electrode array matches the movement period of the image plate.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image plate loading device loads the image plate to intermittently move in a line feed direction perpendicular to a scanning direction of the image plate; and After the laser completes a line of scanning on the image plate, the image plate moves from a current position to a position of a next scanning line perpendicular to the image plate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image plate loading device loads the image plate to move at a constant speed in a line feed direction perpendicular to a scanning direction of the image plate; and The moving speed v of the image plate and the period T of the voltage signal are in accordance with the relationship: in, h represents half of the distance between two adjacent scanning lines on the image plate.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning chip (1200) further comprises: An incident optical fiber (1230), used for coupling with an incident light channel of the optical waveguide structure; as well as An output optical fiber array (1240) comprises a plurality of output optical fibers respectively used to couple with each output optical channel of the optical waveguide structure.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning chip (1200) further comprises a silicon material substrate (1250) for carrying the optical waveguide structure; And the optical waveguide structure (1220) further includes: A polymer material layer (1260) is provided on the silicon material substrate; and A germanium material guide core (1270) is disposed in the polymer material layer, wherein the germanium material guide core is provided with the incident light channel (1271) and the output light channel array (1272).

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the scanning chip (1200) further comprises: The optical isolation element (1280) is arranged between adjacent output light channels.

10. Imaging system, including: The scanning device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, used for scanning the image plate; as well as The imaging device forms a digital image corresponding to the image plate based on the fluorescence generated by the image plate under the laser excitation of the image scanning device.

Images