Composite manufacturing method and composite manufacturing device

Abstract

The present invention facilitates mass production of composites such as optical fiber light emitters having halide crystals as cores, and light emitter arrays. A composite manufacturing device according to the present invention is for manufacturing a composite provided with a core formed of a first material and a cladding formed of a second material. The composite manufacturing device comprises: a pressure adjusting mechanism that adjusts the internal pressure of a cylindrical container which is formed of the second material and in which the first material is contained; a heating mechanism that heats the cylindrical container; and a pull-down mechanism that extends the cylindrical container heated by the heating mechanism to a temperature higher than the softening point of the second material and lower than the melting point of the second material.

Description

Composite manufacturing method and composite manufacturing device

[0001] The present invention relates to a composite manufacturing method and apparatus for manufacturing a composite having a core made of a first material and a cladding made of a second material. This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-082674, filed on May 21, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Composites having a core made of a scintillator (light emitter) used in radiation measurement for measuring radiation such as gamma rays, X-rays, alpha rays, and neutron rays are used as sensor elements for measuring radiation, etc. For example, an optical fiber light emitter made of plastic has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Furthermore, eutectic scintillators consisting of multiple crystalline phases have been reported, and it is known that a scintillator with excellent resolution can be obtained when a scintillator with a high refractive index is made into a fiber shape and is surrounded by a matrix phase with a low refractive index to form an optical waveguide eutectic structure (see Patent Document 2).

[0004] In addition, it is known that by using a multi-core fiber (hereinafter also referred to as a "bundle") in which multiple scintillator cores are provided in the same fiber body, it is possible to realize a sensor with positional resolution for radiation (see Patent Document 3).

[0005] Halide crystals are known as materials that can produce strong scintillation light. However, because halide crystals are deliquescent, continuous mass production of optical fiber light emitters with halide crystal cores requires manual operation, resulting in poor production efficiency and high production costs.

[0006] In addition, the halide scintillator used in the core material has the characteristic of evaporating at the softening point of the cladding material, and tends to evaporate in the high-temperature parts inside the cladding material and solidify in the low-temperature parts. During the composite manufacturing process, the internal pressure of the cladding material changes due to the effects of evaporation and solidification, which can cause the cladding material to deform or burst.

[0007] Furthermore, in the process of manufacturing a composite, when the core raw material filled in the clad material is melted, the raw material at the bottom of the thermoplastic clad container melts while the raw material at the top remains solid. This causes a gap to form between the solid and the molten liquid due to evaporation of the core raw material, resulting in a problem of a gap being created in the core inside the composite being manufactured.

[0008] Furthermore, during the process of manufacturing the composite, when the halide scintillator melt that forms the core is rapidly cooled and crystallized, there are problems with the crystal cracking and deterioration, and with the cladding material cracking and breaking.

[0009] Furthermore, if the composite is not cooled sufficiently in the process of producing the composite, the rollers used for stretching may be deformed or deteriorated, causing the production to be interrupted.

[0010] Japanese Patent No. 6868643 Japanese Patent No. 6468820 International Publication No. 2023 / 008101

[0011] The present invention aims to provide a composite manufacturing apparatus and a composite manufacturing method that can prevent deformation or rupture of the clad material, voids, cracks, or deterioration of the core material, and deformation or deterioration of the roller material, and that can industrially advantageously manufacture a composite having a core made of a first material and a clad made of a second material having a refractive index lower than that of the first material.

[0012] As a result of intensive research to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present inventors have discovered that a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a composite having a core made of a first material and a cladding made of a second material, the manufacturing apparatus comprising: a pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting the internal pressure of a cylindrical container made of the second material and containing the first material; a heating mechanism for heating the cylindrical container; and a pulling-down mechanism for stretching the cylindrical container heated by the heating mechanism to a temperature higher than the softening point of the second material and lower than the melting point of the second material, can easily mass-produce the composite, and have found that such a manufacturing apparatus can solve all of the above-mentioned conventional problems at once. Furthermore, after discovering the above-mentioned finding, the present inventors have conducted further research and gained various findings, which have led to the completion of the present invention. Specifically, the present invention relates to the following inventions.

[0013] [1] A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a composite having a core made of a first material and a clad made of a second material, the apparatus comprising: a pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting the internal pressure of a cylindrical container made of the second material and containing the first material, a heating mechanism for heating the cylindrical container, and a pulling-down mechanism for stretching the cylindrical container heated by the heating mechanism to a temperature higher than the softening point of the second material and lower than the melting point of the second material. [2] The pressure adjustment mechanism adjusts the internal pressure of the cylindrical container to 1×10 －５The composite production apparatus according to [1], wherein the pressure adjustment mechanism adjusts the internal pressure of the cylindrical container within a range of atmospheric pressure +10 hPa to atmospheric pressure +100 hPa. The pressure adjustment mechanism may adjust the internal pressure of the cylindrical container within a range of atmospheric pressure +10 hPa to atmospheric pressure +100 hPa. [3] The composite production apparatus according to [1] or [2], wherein the heating mechanism includes a multi-stage heater, and has a function of controlling the heat point at which the heating temperature of the heating mechanism is highest by setting different temperatures in each stage of the multi-stage heater and creating a temperature gradient within the multi-stage heater. [4] The composite production apparatus according to any of [1] to [3], further including a delivery mechanism and a temperature adjustment mechanism, wherein the temperature adjustment mechanism is disposed between the delivery mechanism and the pull-down mechanism. [5] The composite production apparatus according to [4], wherein the temperature adjustment mechanism includes one or more selected from the group consisting of a second heating means, an insulating means, and a cooling means. [6] The composite production apparatus according to any of [1] to [5], wherein the pull-down mechanism includes a means for pulling down at a force of 1 N or more. [7] The composite manufacturing apparatus according to [6], wherein the pull-down means of the pull-down mechanism contains resin or rubber as a constituent material. [8] The composite manufacturing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [7], further comprising a winding mechanism for winding up the composite pulled down by the pull-down mechanism. [9] The composite manufacturing apparatus according to [8], wherein the winding mechanism comprises a winder with a diameter of 10 cm or more.

[10] The composite manufacturing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the heating mechanism heats the second material to a temperature within a range of up to +200°C above the softening point of the second material.

[11] The composite manufacturing apparatus according to any one of [1] to

[10] , further comprising a bundle forming mechanism for bundling a plurality of the composites to form a bundle.

[12] A method for producing a composite having a core made of a first material and a cladding made of a second material, the method comprising: a pressure adjusting step of adjusting the internal pressure of a cylindrical container made of the second material and containing the first material, a heating step of heating the cylindrical container, and a pulling-down step of stretching the cylindrical container heated to a temperature higher than the softening point of the second material and lower than the melting point of the second material in the heating step.

[13] The method for producing a composite according to

[12] , wherein the first material is a scintillator material.

[14] The composite production method according to

[12] , wherein the first material is a material having a core made of a halide crystal containing Cs and Cu.

[15] The composite production method according to any one of

[12] to

[14] , wherein the heating means used in the heating step includes one or more selected from the group consisting of a carbon heater, an electric heating wire, a high-frequency wave, and a halogen lamp.

[16] The composite production method according to

[15] , wherein the heating means in the heating step includes a multi-stage heater, and wherein different temperatures are set in each stage of the multi-stage heater to create a temperature gradient within the multi-stage heater, thereby controlling the heat point at which the heating temperature is highest using the heating means.

[17] The composite production method according to any one of

[12] to

[16] , further comprising a delivery step and a temperature adjustment step, wherein the temperature adjustment step is performed between the delivery step and the pulling-down step.

[18] The composite production method according to

[17] , wherein the temperature adjustment means used in the temperature adjustment step includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a second heating means, an insulating means, and a cooling means.

[19] The method for producing a composite according to any one of

[12] to

[18] , wherein the pulling down step is performed at a pressure of 1 N or more.

[20] In the pressure adjusting step, the internal pressure of the clad material is adjusted to 1×10. －５

[21] The composite manufacturing method according to any one of

[12] to

[19] , wherein the internal pressure of the clad material is adjusted to a range of atmospheric pressure +10 hPa to atmospheric pressure +100 hPa in the pressure adjusting step.

[22] The composite manufacturing method according to any one of

[12] to

[21] , wherein the heating step sets the heating temperature within a range of the softening point of the second material to the softening point +200°C.

[22] The composite manufacturing method according to any one of

[12] to

[21] , further comprising a bundling step of bundling a plurality of the composites to form a bundle.

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to industrially advantageously produce composites and bundles formed by bundling composites, and it is also possible to provide a composite production apparatus and a composite production method that facilitate the production of such composites and bundles.

[0015] According to the present invention, by providing a multi-stage heater as the heating means, when manufacturing a composite or a bundle of composites, it is possible to more efficiently melt only the core and soften the cladding, thereby obtaining a higher quality composite. Furthermore, by melting the entire core material, a composite without voids in the core can be obtained. Furthermore, by setting different temperatures in each stage of the multi-stage heater and creating a temperature gradient within the multi-stage heater, it is possible to control the heat point at which the heating temperature is highest. By controlling the heat point, the wire diameter of the composite can be more easily controlled.

[0016] According to the present invention, by including a pressure adjustment process, it is possible to provide a composite manufacturing apparatus and a composite manufacturing method that can suppress extreme pressure increases and decreases inside the clad material due to evaporation and solidification of the core material when manufacturing a composite or a bundle made by bundling composites, and prevent deformation or rupture of the clad material.

[0017] According to the present invention, by including a temperature adjustment process, it is possible to provide a composite manufacturing apparatus and a composite manufacturing method that, when manufacturing a composite or a bundle of composites, can adjust the temperature of the composite to be manufactured to below the heat resistance temperature of the roller material, thereby preventing deformation and deterioration of the roller material, cracking and deterioration of the core material, and cracking and destruction of the clad material.

[0018] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a composite manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention and an embodiment for manufacturing a composite using the manufacturing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a composite manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention and an embodiment for manufacturing a composite using the manufacturing apparatus. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a roller of a pull-down mechanism provided in the composite manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

[0019] (Composite Manufacturing Apparatus) A composite manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for manufacturing a composite comprising a core made of a first material and a cladding made of a second material. The apparatus is characterized by comprising: a pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting the internal pressure of a cylindrical container made of the second material and containing the first material; a heating mechanism for heating the cylindrical container; and a pulling-down mechanism for stretching the cylindrical container heated by the heating mechanism to a temperature higher than the softening point of the second material and lower than the melting point of the second material. It is preferable that the first material has a melting point lower than the softening point of the second material. The refractive index of the second material may be lower than the refractive index of the first material. It is preferable that the composite manufacturing apparatus further comprises a delivery mechanism and a temperature adjustment mechanism. The pressure adjustment mechanism adjusts the internal pressure of the cylindrical container to 1×10 －５ It is preferable that the pressure regulation mechanism regulates the internal pressure of the cylindrical container within a range of atmospheric pressure +10 hPa to atmospheric pressure +100 hPa.

[0020] The composite is derived by combining two or more components with the intention of achieving properties exceeding those of each component. It can be broadly defined as a composite consisting of a core (first material) and a cladding (second material) that supports it. The first material and the second material are not particularly limited as long as they do not impede the objectives of the present invention, and may be either an inorganic material or an organic material. In the present invention, inorganic materials are preferred.

[0021] The first material is preferably a scintillator material, and more preferably a material having a core made of a halide crystal containing Cs and Cu. Within this preferred range, a manufacturing apparatus with excellent processability can be obtained.

[0022] Examples of the material having a core made of a halide crystal containing Cs and Cu include CsCu ２ (Cl, Br or I) ３ , Cs ３ Cu ２ (Cl, Br or I) ５CsCu containing at least one element selected from Pr, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Dy, Er, Tm, Yb, Tl, Pb, Bi, Ag, Ti and Cr as a luminescent center in an amount of 0.001 mol% or more relative to the total substance amount of the crystalline phase of the core. ２ (Cl, Br or I) ３ Cs containing at least one element selected from Pr, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Dy, Er, Tm, Yb, Tl, Pb, Bi, Ag, Ti and Cr as a luminescence center in an amount of 0.001 mol % or more relative to the total substance amount of the crystalline phase of the core. ３ Cu ２ (Cl, Br or I) ５ , (Li, Na, K, Cs, Rb or Cs) ２ (Pb, Sn, Ge, Cu or Cd) (Cl, Br or I) ３ Examples include:

[0023] The core material may be deliquescent.

[0024] The heating mechanism preferably uses one or more of the following heating means: a carbon heater, an electric heating wire, a high frequency wave, and a halogen lamp. This preferred range allows for more efficient melting of only the core and softening of the cladding, resulting in a higher quality composite. The heating mechanism also preferably includes a multi-stage heater. By melting the entire core material using the multi-stage heater, a composite without voids in the core can be obtained. By including a multi-stage heater in the heating means, different temperatures can be set in each stage of the multi-stage heater, creating a temperature gradient within the multi-stage heater, thereby enabling the function of manipulating the heat point at which the heating temperature is highest.

[0025] By manipulating the heat point at which the heating temperature becomes maximum in the heating step, the wire diameter of the composite can be more easily controlled.

[0026] The temperature adjustment mechanism may include, as temperature adjustment means, a second heating means such as a second heater, a heat insulating means such as a heat insulating material, a cooling means such as a fan, a cooler, water cooling, or oil cooling, etc. By using the temperature adjustment means, cracking of the core material and clad material can be more efficiently prevented, and the crystallinity of the core material can be further improved.

[0027] A preferred embodiment of the composite manufacturing apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 1 shows a composite manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present invention and an embodiment in which the manufacturing apparatus is used to manufacture a composite 50 consisting of a core 21 and a clad 23. The core 21 is formed by melting a core material 1 made of the first material, and the clad 23 is formed by drawing a clad material 3 made of the second material. The composite manufacturing apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 includes a support structure (not shown), to which each component of the composite manufacturing apparatus 100 is attached. The composite manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a pressure adjustment mechanism 7 that adjusts the internal pressure of a cylindrical container made of the clad material 3 containing the core material 1, a heating mechanism 4 that heats the cylindrical container, and a pull-down mechanism 6 that draws the cylindrical container heated by the heating mechanism to a temperature higher than the softening point of the second material and lower than the melting point of the second material.

[0028] <Pressure Adjustment Mechanism> The pressure adjustment mechanism 7 adjusts the internal pressure of the cylindrical container made of the clad material 3, thereby preventing the cylindrical container made of the clad material 3 from bursting due to an increase in internal pressure or from collapsing due to a decrease in internal pressure, which occur during the production of the composite. The pressure adjustment mechanism adjusts the internal pressure of the cylindrical container to 1×10 －５ It is preferable that the pressure regulation mechanism regulates the internal pressure of the cylindrical container within a range of atmospheric pressure +10 hPa to atmospheric pressure +100 hPa.

[0029] <Heating mechanism> The heating mechanism 4 heats the cylindrical container made of the clad material 3 to a temperature higher than the softening point of the clad material 3 and lower than the melting point of the clad material 3. It is preferable that the heating mechanism 4 heats the clad material 3 within a range of up to 200°C above the softening point of the clad material 3.

[0030] The heating mechanism 4 is not particularly limited as long as it can heat the core material 1 and the clad material 3 to melt the entire core material 1 and form the composite 50. The heating mechanism 4 preferably heats the core material 1 and the clad material 3 within a range from the softening point of the clad material 3 to the softening point + 200°C, thereby melting the entire core material. Examples of heating means for the heating mechanism 4 include a carbon heater, an electric heating wire heater, a high-frequency heater, and a halogen lamp heater. It is preferable to use one or more of these heaters. By using such a heating mechanism 4, it is possible to more efficiently melt only the core and soften the clad, thereby obtaining a higher-quality composite.

[0031] The heating means of the heating mechanism 4 preferably includes a multi-stage heater. By setting different temperatures in each stage of the multi-stage heater and creating a temperature gradient within the multi-stage heater, it is possible to achieve a function of manipulating the heat point at which the heating temperature of the heating mechanism is highest. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the heating mechanism 4 is preferably a multi-stage heating mechanism (multi-stage heater) including a first-stage heater 4-1 as a first-stage heating means and a second-stage heater 4-2 as a second-stage heating means. By setting different temperatures in each stage of the multi-stage heater and creating a temperature gradient within the multi-stage heater, it is possible to achieve a function of manipulating the position of the heat point at which the heating temperature of the heating means is highest, and it is possible to produce a composite with good crystallinity and a uniform shape without causing tube expansion and rupture at the heat point at which the heating temperature is highest.

[0032] <Feed-out mechanism> Using the composite manufacturing apparatus 100, the core material 11 and clad material 13 are produced from the melted and liquid core material 1 and thermoplastic clad material 3, which are cooled and solidified, to produce a composite 50 consisting of a core 21 and a clad 23. The thermoplastic clad material 3 and the melted and liquid core material 1 placed on the clad material 3 are supported by a feed-out mechanism 8. The feed-out mechanism 8 can be, for example, a system that enables vertical linear motion using a linear rail or the like.

[0033] <Temperature Adjustment Mechanism> The temperature adjustment mechanism 5 is disposed between the delivery mechanism 8 and the pull-down mechanism 6. The temperature adjustment mechanism can include, for example, one or more components selected from the group consisting of a second heating means, an insulating means, and a cooling means. Examples of the cooling means include a chiller, a fan, a cooler, a water cooler, and an oil cooler. The temperature adjustment mechanism 5 can be used as a second heating means, for example, as an afterheater for the heater 4. In this case, the phenomenon of the cladding 3 being destroyed due to the core 1 solidifying while the cladding 3 is softening can be prevented. Furthermore, factors that degrade the quality and scintillator performance of the composite, such as the generation of cracks or heterophases in the core 1, a decrease in crystallinity, and cracks in the cladding 3 due to rapid cooling of the composite, can be reduced. The temperature adjustment mechanism 5 can use a chiller as the cooling means. In this case, deterioration of the material 10 of the pull-down mechanism 6 caused by the thermoplastic cladding material 3 with excessive heat can also be suppressed.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2, the temperature adjustment mechanism 5 is preferably a multi-stage temperature adjustment mechanism including a first-stage temperature adjustment mechanism 5-1 and a second-stage temperature adjustment mechanism 5-2.

[0035] <Pulling-Down Mechanism 6> The pulling-down mechanism 6 stretches the cylindrical container heated by the heating mechanism 4 to a temperature higher than the softening point of the clad material 3 but lower than the melting point of the clad material 3. The pulling-down mechanism 6 is preferably located below the heating mechanism (heater) 4. The pulling-down mechanism 6 pulls down the molten core material 1 and the softened thermoplastic clad material 3 at a force of 1 N or more, forming a composite of the cooled, solidified core material 11 and the cooled thermoplastic clad material 13. The pulling-down mechanism 6 preferably includes a pulling-down means, which preferably includes a resin or rubber as a constituent material. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , the pulling-down mechanism 6 may include a roller 60. The roller 60 is composed of a material 30 and a material 31, and functions like a pinch roller that sandwiches a fibrous material between the two rollers and feeds it at a constant speed. The pulling-down mechanism 6 employs a resin or rubber for the material 30, providing excellent gripping properties. The material 31 is not particularly limited and may be any known material as long as it does not impede the objectives of the present invention.

[0036] <Winding Mechanism> The composite manufacturing apparatus 100 may further include a winding mechanism 9 below the pulling-down mechanism 6. The winding mechanism 9 can automatically wind up the drawn composite 50. In the present invention, it is preferable to include a measuring means (not shown) that can measure the diameter of the composite 50 made of the core material 21 and the clad material 23. Examples of the measuring means include known measuring means such as means using a laser.

[0037] <Bundle Forming Mechanism> The composite manufacturing apparatus of the present embodiment may include a bundle forming mechanism that forms a bundle by bundling a plurality of composites. Examples of the composite include the composite obtained by the composite manufacturing apparatus.

[0038] (Composite Manufacturing Method) A composite manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a composite having a core made of a first material and a cladding made of a second material. The composite manufacturing method according to this embodiment includes the following pressure adjusting step, heating step, and pulling-down step. Pressure adjusting step: A step of adjusting the internal pressure of a cylindrical container made of the second material and containing the first material. Heating step: A step of heating the cylindrical container. Pulling-down step: A step of stretching the cylindrical container that has been heated to a temperature higher than the softening point of the second material and lower than the melting point of the second material. It is preferable that the first material has a melting point lower than the softening point of the second material. The core material may also be deliquescent. It is preferable that the composite manufacturing method according to this embodiment further includes a sending-out step and a temperature adjusting step. The temperature adjusting step is provided between the sending-out step and the pulling-down step.

[0039] The first material and the second material are the same as the first material and the second material, their preferred aspects, and specific examples described in the composite production apparatus of the present embodiment. Furthermore, the composite production method of the present embodiment preferably produces the composite using the composite production apparatus of the present embodiment.

[0040] <Pressure Adjustment Step> In the pressure adjustment step, the internal pressure of the clad material is adjusted to 1×10 －５It is preferable to maintain the pressure in the range of 1×10 Pa to atmospheric pressure + 100 hPa. －５ By adjusting and maintaining the pressure in the range of atmospheric pressure +100 hPa to atmospheric pressure +100 hPa, a composite having a desired shape can be obtained more efficiently. In the pressure adjusting step, the internal pressure of the clad material may be maintained in the range of atmospheric pressure +10 hPa to +100 hPa.

[0041] <Heating Step> The heating means used in the heating step can be one or more of the following heating methods: a carbon heater, an electric heating wire, a high-frequency wave, and a halogen lamp. According to these preferred ranges, a higher-quality composite can be obtained by more efficiently melting only the core material and softening the clad material. Furthermore, the heating means in the heating step includes a multi-stage heater. By setting different temperatures in each stage of the multi-stage heater and creating a temperature gradient within the multi-stage heater, the heating means can control the heat point at which the heating temperature is highest. The heat point in the heating step is preferably maintained at +200°C above the softening point of the second material (clad material). By maintaining the heat point at +200°C above the softening point of the thermoplastic clad material, a higher-quality composite can be obtained more efficiently. Furthermore, by setting the temperature above the heat point in the heating step to be equal to or higher than the melting point of the core material, the entire core raw material can be melted, resulting in a composite without voids in the core portion.

[0042] By manipulating the heat point at which the heating temperature becomes maximum in the heating step, the wire diameter of the composite can be more easily controlled.

[0043] <Temperature Adjustment Step> The temperature adjustment step is performed between the delivery step and the pulling-down step. Examples of temperature adjustment methods used in the temperature adjustment step include a second heating means, an insulating means, and a cooling means. Examples of the cooling means include a chiller, a fan, a cooler, water cooling, and oil cooling. In the temperature adjustment step, it is preferable to adjust the temperature between the delivery step and the pulling-down step. According to such a preferred range, cracking of the core material and the clad material is more efficiently prevented, and the crystallinity of the core is further improved, resulting in a higher quality composite with better scintillator properties.

[0044] <Discharging Step> In the discharging step, the composite heated by the heating means in the heating step can be discharged.

[0045] <Pulling Down Step> In the above composite production method, the pulling down step is preferably performed at a pressure of 1 N or more. Within this preferred range, a composite of higher quality can be obtained more efficiently.

[0046] <Bundle Forming Step> The composite manufacturing method of the present embodiment may further include a bundling step of bundling a plurality of composites to form a bundle. Examples of the composite include the composite obtained by the composite manufacturing apparatus.

[0047] The production of a composite using the composite production apparatus was demonstrated below by way of examples. These examples show one embodiment of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto in any way.

[0048] Example 1: A cylindrical container having a diameter of 15 mm and a thickness of 1.8 mm was used as a thermoplastic cladding material. The container was a borosilicate glass container having a softening point of 820°C. The core material was a 0.1 mol% Tl:Cs alloy having a melting point of 390°C. ３ Cu ２ I ５ The borosilicate glass vessel was filled with argon gas. The refractive index of the borosilicate glass vessel was about 1.5, and the refractive index of Cs ３ Cu ２ I ５The refractive index of the thermoplastic cladding material was approximately 1.9, and the refractive index of the thermoplastic cladding material was lower than that of the core material and had a melting point lower than the softening point. At this time, the pressure inside the borosilicate glass vessel was adjusted to 1×10 by introducing argon gas into the vessel using a pressure adjustment mechanism. －５ The pressure was adjusted to a range of 100 hPa to atmospheric pressure + 100 hPa. A multi-stage heater with a total length of 1 m and five heater stages, configured to allow for arbitrary adjustment of the temperature gradient, was used, with a heat point of 890°C set at the second heater stage from the bottom, and the borosilicate glass container and core raw material were heated and melted. By adjusting the temperatures of the heaters in the third to fifth stages from the bottom to 450-550°C, the entire core raw material was melted without softening the borosilicate glass container at that position. No deformation or rupture of the borosilicate glass container occurred above the heat point. When the lower portion of the borosilicate glass container exposed from the first heater from the bottom was stretched by 10 mm, drawing (1 N or more) was initiated using a pull-down mechanism consisting of rollers made of fluororesin with a heat resistance of 250 °C. The borosilicate glass container containing the molten core material was delivered by the delivery mechanism at a rate of 0.5 mm / min and taken up by the pull-down mechanism at a rate of 1.8 m / min, forming a composite with an outer diameter of 500 μm. A temperature control mechanism was installed between the delivery mechanism and the pull-down mechanism, with an alumina insulator on the upper level and a cooling fan on the lower level. The alumina insulator allowed the core inside the composite to crystallize without rapid cooling after being drawn and delivered from the multi-stage heater, preventing cracking or fracture of the cladding. Furthermore, cooling the composite to below 250 °C using a cooling fan prevented wear or deformation of the roller material of the pull-down mechanism. The drawn composite was then wound up by a winding mechanism equipped with a winder with a diameter of 100 cm. As a result, a composite was produced in which the cooled and crystallized core material was formed to a size of 380 μm.A composite with an outer diameter of 500 μm and a total length of 100 m of clad material was produced in one hour without any defects such as cracks.

[0049] Comparative Example 1 A composite was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the pressure inside the borosilicate glass container was pressurized from atmospheric pressure +1000 hPa to +1500 hPa using a pressurizer instead of a pressure adjustment mechanism, and the pressure inside the borosilicate glass container was not adjusted. As a result, the softened borosilicate glass container expanded and thinned due to the increase in internal pressure, causing it to burst, and a good composite could not be formed.

[0050] Comparative Example 2: The borosilicate glass container was sealed without using a pressure adjustment mechanism. A composite was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the pressure inside the borosilicate glass container was not adjusted. As a result, the internal pressure increased due to evaporation of the core raw material, causing the softened borosilicate glass container to expand and burst, and a good composite could not be formed.

[0051] (Example 2) Core raw material Tl 0.1 mol %: Cs ３ Cu ２ I ５ Instead of Eu 1 mol %: CsSrBrI ２ A composite was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the bottom of the thermoplastic cladding was stretched by 10 mm instead of 15 mm.

[0052] (Example 3) A borosilicate glass container having a softening point of 820°C and a tube diameter of 33 mm and a thickness of 1.5 mm was used as a thermoplastic clad material. Approximately 2,800 composites having an outer diameter of 500 μm prepared in Example 1 were bundled and packed into the container, and argon gas was then filled into the container. At this time, argon gas was introduced into the thermoplastic clad material using a pressure adjustment mechanism, and the pressure inside the borosilicate glass container was adjusted to 1×10 －５The pressure was adjusted to a range of 100 hPa to atmospheric pressure + 100 hPa. A 1-m-long multi-stage heater with five heater stages, configured to allow for arbitrary temperature gradient adjustment, was used to set a heat point of 910 °C at the second heater stage from the bottom, and the borosilicate glass container filled with the composite was heated. By adjusting the temperatures of the third to fifth heater stages from the bottom to 450-550 °C, the entire core crystal within the filled composite was melted without softening the borosilicate glass container at that position. No deformation or rupture of the borosilicate glass container occurred above the heat point. When the lower part of the borosilicate glass container exposed from the first heater stage from the bottom stretched 10 mm, stretching (1 N or more) was initiated using a pull-down mechanism consisting of a roller made of fluororesin with a heat resistance of 250 °C. The borosilicate glass container filled with the composite was delivered by the delivery mechanism at a rate of 0.5 mm / min and taken up by the pull-down mechanism at a rate of 1.8 m / min, forming a bundle with an outer diameter of 3.3 mm. A temperature control mechanism was installed between the delivery mechanism and the pull-down mechanism, with alumina insulation installed on the upper level and a cooling fan installed on the lower level. By installing the alumina insulation, the cores inside the bundle drawn and delivered from the multi-stage heater crystallized without rapid cooling, preventing cracking or damage to the clad material. Furthermore, cooling the composite to below 250°C with a cooling fan prevented wear or deformation of the roller material in the pull-down mechanism. As a result, the bundle contained cooled, crystallized cores with diameters of 12 to 13 μm, surrounded by the clad material, resulting in a structure with 2,800 cores arranged within the bundle. The bundle was free of defects such as cracks and could be produced in one hour. On the other hand, the composite produced in the comparative example was unable to form a satisfactory bundle.

[0053] In the present invention, a material having a core made of halide crystals containing Cs and Cu can be used as the raw material for Example 1, and a material having a core made of halide crystals containing Cs and Sr can be used as the raw material for Example 2, and both materials can form good composites and bundles.

[0054] The manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is suitably used for continuous mass production of composites such as optical fiber light emitters having a halide crystal core.

[0055] 1 Molten core material 3 Thermoplastic clad material 4 Heater (heating mechanism) 4-1 First stage heater 4-2 Second stage heater 5 Temperature adjustment mechanism 5-1 First stage temperature adjustment mechanism 5-2 Second stage temperature adjustment mechanism 6 Pull-down mechanism 7 Clad material 3 pressure adjustment mechanism 8 Clad material 3 delivery mechanism 9 Winding mechanism 11 Cooled and solidified core material 13 Cooled and stretched clad material 21 Core 23 Clad 30 Pull-down mechanism parts (outside) 31 Pull-down mechanism parts (center) 50 Composite 60 Roller 100, 200 Composite manufacturing device

Claims

1. A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a composite having a core made of a first material and a cladding made of a second material, comprising: a pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting the internal pressure of a cylindrical container made of the second material and containing the first material; a heating mechanism for heating the cylindrical container; and a pulling-down mechanism for stretching the cylindrical container that has been heated by the heating mechanism to a temperature higher than the softening point of the second material and lower than the melting point of the second material.

2. The pressure adjustment mechanism adjusts the internal pressure of the cylindrical container to 1×10 －５ 2. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure adjusting mechanism adjusts the pressure within a range of from atmospheric pressure + 100 hPa to atmospheric pressure + 100 hPa.

3. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating mechanism is equipped with a multi-stage heater, and has the function of controlling the heat point at which the heating temperature of the heating mechanism is at its highest by setting different temperatures in each stage of the multi-stage heater and creating a temperature gradient within the multi-stage heater.

4. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a delivery mechanism and a temperature adjustment mechanism, wherein the temperature adjustment mechanism is disposed between the delivery mechanism and the pull-down mechanism.

5. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the temperature adjustment mechanism comprises one or more means selected from the group consisting of a second heating means, an insulating means, and a cooling means.

6. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pull-down mechanism includes means for pulling down at a force of 1 N or more.

7. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pull-down means of the pull-down mechanism includes resin or rubber as a constituent material.

8. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a winding mechanism for winding up the composite pulled down by the pulling-down mechanism.

9. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the winding mechanism comprises a winder having a diameter of 10 cm or more.

10. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating mechanism heats said second material to a temperature within a range of up to +200° C. above the softening point of said second material.

11. The composite manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a bundle forming mechanism for bundling a plurality of the composites to form a bundle.

12. A method for producing a composite having a core made of a first material and a cladding made of a second material, comprising: a pressure adjusting step for adjusting the internal pressure of a cylindrical container made of the second material and containing the first material; a heating step for heating the cylindrical container; and a drawing step for stretching the cylindrical container that has been heated to a temperature higher than the softening point of the second material and lower than the melting point of the second material in the heating step.

13. The method for producing a composite according to claim 12, wherein said first material is a scintillator material.

14. The method for producing a composite according to claim 12, wherein the first material is a material having a core made of a halide crystal containing Cs and Cu.

15. The method for producing a composite according to claim 12, wherein the heating means used in the heating step includes one or more members selected from the group consisting of a carbon heater, an electric heating wire, a high frequency wave, and a halogen lamp.

16. A method for producing a composite as described in claim 15, characterized in that the heating means in the heating step comprises a multi-stage heater, and by setting different temperatures in each stage of the multi-stage heater and creating a temperature gradient within the multi-stage heater, the heat point at which the heating temperature is highest is controlled by the heating means.

17. The method for producing a composite according to claim 12, further comprising a sending step and a temperature adjusting step, said temperature adjusting step being performed between said sending step and said pulling down step.

18. The method for producing a composite according to claim 17, wherein the temperature adjustment method used in the temperature adjustment step includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a second heating means, an insulating means, and a cooling means.

19. The method for producing a composite according to claim 12, wherein the pulling down step involves pulling down at a force of 1 N or more.

20. In the pressure adjusting step, the internal pressure of the cylindrical container is adjusted to 1 x 10 －５ The method for producing a composite according to claim 12, wherein the pressure is adjusted to a range of from atmospheric pressure + 100 hPa to atmospheric pressure + 100 hPa.

21. The method for producing a composite according to claim 12, wherein the heating step sets the heating temperature within the range from the softening point of the second material to a temperature 200° C. higher than the softening point of the second material.

22. The method for producing a composite according to claim 12, further comprising a bundling step of bundling a plurality of the composites to form a bundle.

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