Radiation Detector Scintillator Light Reception
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiation detectors face limitations in achieving high image quality due to inefficiencies in light reception and resolution, particularly when a member is used to facilitate scintillator growth between the light receiving surface and the scintillator layer.
Innovation Solution
The radiation detector design features a light receiving surface surrounded by a discontinuous surface, which serves as the crystal growth surface for the scintillator layer, allowing direct contact and enhancing light reception efficiency and resolution by forming a crystal interface that reflects light back to the receiving surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a member is provided between the light receiving surface and the scintillator layer to facilitate crystal growth, then the scintillator layer can be formed, but light reception efficiency decreases due to the additional interface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the intermediate member (such as a flat plate or support structure) that was traditionally placed between the light receiving surface and the scintillator layer. By extracting this unnecessary component, the light receiving surface comes into direct contact with the scintillator layer, eliminating the additional interface that caused light loss while still allowing the scintillator layer to be properly formed through alternative support methods during manufacturing.
2Ease of manufacture
If the light receiving surface is flat and continuous, then manufacturing is simpler, but resolution decreases due to light scattering and poor light collection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a micro-structured surface on the light receiving surface with varying depths, shapes, and distributions of recesses and protrusions. Different regions of the surface have different structures optimized for their specific function: some areas enhance light collection, others improve crystal growth alignment, and some facilitate light reflection. This localized variation in surface quality resolves the contradiction by maintaining manufacturing feasibility while dramatically improving resolution through enhanced light management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved and non-planar surface features including domes, recesses, and protrusions with varying curvatures. These curved structures serve multiple functions: they focus incident light onto the photoelectric conversion region, enhance total internal reflection at the scintillator interface, and provide templates for crystal growth. The spherical and curved geometries improve light collection efficiency and resolution while remaining manufacturable through standard semiconductor fabrication techniques.
3Loss of energy
If the light receiving surface is in direct contact with the scintillator layer, then light reception efficiency improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming the micro-structured surface pattern on the light receiving surface before depositing the scintillator layer. The recesses, protrusions, and curved features are pre-formed with precise dimensions and positions, serving as templates that guide subsequent crystal growth. This advance preparation ensures that when the scintillator layer is deposited in direct contact with the structured surface, the crystal interfaces automatically align with the underlying features, reducing the need for post-manufacturing alignment adjustments while maintaining high light reception efficiency.
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 configuration achieves higher light reception efficiency and resolution, resulting in improved image quality by ensuring direct contact between the light receiving surface and the scintillator layer and utilizing the crystal interface to reflect light, thereby enhancing image clarity.
Implementation Method 1
a scintillator layer 30... when radiation is incident on the light receiving surface 20A, a wavelength conversion is performed in the scintillator layer 30
Implementation Method 2
part of light generated in the scintillator layer is reflected by the crystal interface and enters the light receiving surface
Implementation Method 3
a photoelectric conversion device 120... converts light into an electrical signal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
There is provided a radiation detector (1) including: a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices (20), each photoelectric conversion device formed at least partially within an embedding layer (15) and having a light receiving surface (20A) situated at least partially outside of the embedding layer, and a plurality of scintillator crystals (30), at least a first scintillator crystal of the plurality of scintillator crystals in contact with at least one light receiving surface at a proximal end, wherein a cross-section of the first scintillator crystal at the proximal end is smaller than a cross-section of the first scintillator crystal at a distal end.