Prolate Spheroid Collimator with Twisted Slit Apertures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collimators for high-energy electromagnetic radiation suffer from reduced flux at the target due to significant attenuation, and inconsistency in collimation effect across different beam angles, which hinders imaging and analysis techniques by reducing performance and image clarity.
Innovation Solution
A collimator formed as a prolate spheroid with twisted slit apertures, where the first aperture extends orthogonally and the second aperture spirally around the major axis, ensuring all direct pathways from entry to exit points are of constant length, maintaining a constant collimation effect regardless of beam angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional collimator blocks most source waves to achieve collimation, then collimation effect is improved, but flux at the target is greatly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The collimator uses a spherical geometry with the radiation source positioned at the center of the sphere. The apertures are arranged on the spherical surface, which allows radiation to travel along chord paths of constant length. This curved geometry optimizes the balance between collimation effectiveness and flux transmission by utilizing the natural geometry of spherical chords.
Solution Approach 2:
The collimator implements variable aperture widths across different regions of the spherical surface. The aperture size is locally optimized based on the specific angular requirement and position, allowing certain regions to have larger apertures for higher flux while maintaining collimation precision in other regions. This local optimization resolves the contradiction between blocking efficiency and flux transmission.
2Quantity of substance
If collimator apertures are made larger to increase flux, then flux at target is improved, but collimation precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The collimator implements variable aperture widths across different regions of the spherical surface. The aperture size is locally optimized based on the specific angular requirement and position, allowing certain regions to have larger apertures for higher flux while maintaining collimation precision in other regions. This local optimization resolves the contradiction between blocking efficiency and flux transmission.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a large rotating disc collimator is used to create scanning beam, then scanning capability is achieved, but weight and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The collimator divides the spherical surface into multiple discrete aperture locations arranged in radial patterns. Each aperture can be independently controlled or selectively opened/closed using shutters or movable elements. This segmentation allows the system to scan across different angular positions by activating specific aperture groups, replacing the need for a large rotating disc while achieving the same scanning capability with a stationary structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The collimator uses dynamically controllable aperture elements (such as movable shutters or adjustable diaphragms) that can rapidly open and close specific apertures to create the scanning effect. This dynamic control of aperture activation replaces mechanical rotation, reducing moving parts and complexity while maintaining scanning functionality through electronic or mechanical actuation of individual aperture elements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design maintains a constant collimation effect and beam cross-section, improving image clarity and scanning speed by allowing continuous rotation and reducing the complexity and power requirements of the collimator, while maintaining structural stability and portability.
Implementation Method 1
a collimator that acts as a filter to the radiation is required, such that only radiation travelling in desired directions is able to pass through the collimator unhindered
Implementation Method 2
Radiation that is incident upon the body of the collimator is attenuated
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a~5b
AI summary
A collimator taking the form of a prolate spheroid (40) comprising radiation attenuating material and featuring a twisted slit comprising radiation transmissive material. The twisted slit featuring first (43) and second (44) apertures arranged such that for each entrance point in one of the apertures there is a direct pathway through the major axis 'B' of the prolate spheroid (40), at a pre-determined angle, to a point in the other aperture, such that a compound aperture is formed. For each compound aperture the length of the direct pathway through the prolate spheroid (40) is constant. Rotation of the collimator about the major axis 'B', relative to a stationary point at the first aperture (43), steers in angle the compound aperture through the collimator from said stationary point. Such an arrangement allows radiation from a source positioned at said point to be collimated into a beam, the resultant beam being scanned in angle, and the resultant collimation effect being constant across the angular range of the scan.