Scintillating Fiber Bundle Manufacturing via Pressure Infiltration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current coherent bundles of scintillating fibers used in x-ray detectors have limitations in achieving high resolution images, with feature sizes of scintillators correlating to maximum imaging resolution, necessitating the development of fibers with smaller diameters to enhance image clarity in medical, scientific, and engineering applications.
Innovation Solution
The method involves manufacturing coherent bundles of scintillating fibers by applying pressure to a collimated glass preform with a transparent scintillating polymer or polymer matrix infused with nanoparticles, using a pressure vessel to force the polymer into capillaries while maintaining back pressure to prevent bundle failure, thereby increasing the resolution of x-ray images to the single-digit micron range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If pressure is applied to force polymer into capillaries, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the collimated bundle may fail due to excessive tension
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies back pressure to the collimated bundle before and during the polymer filling process to counteract the tensile forces that would otherwise cause bundle failure. This preliminary protective action prevents structural damage before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts pressure parameters during manufacturing - applying forward pressure to drive polymer into capillaries while simultaneously applying back pressure to the bundle. This dual-pressure parameter control enables both complete fiber filling and structural integrity maintenance.
2Measurement precision
If scintillator diameter is reduced to increase resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical fiber drawing and assembly methods with a pressure-driven polymer infiltration process. This substitution enables precise control of small-diameter fiber filling while simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pressure as a controllable parameter to achieve complete polymer infiltration into small-diameter capillaries, enabling manufacturing of high-resolution fibers with precise dimensional control that would be difficult to achieve with conventional methods.
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 approach results in significantly improved x-ray image resolution, surpassing existing technologies like computed axial tomography (CAT) and digital x-ray detectors, enabling more accurate imaging in medical, engineering, and scientific fields, as well as domestic security and non-destructive testing.
Implementation Method 1
Incident x-rays activate the scintillators in individual fibers, which then emit visible light to the camera
Implementation Method 2
the scintillating light in the fiber (caused by x-rays), reflects the light down to the sensor: Total Internal Reflection
Implementation Method 3
Pressure is applied to the polymer matrix, driving it into the capillaries while a back pressure is applied to the collimated bundle thereby reducing the risk of failure of the collimated bundle
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus to manufacture a coherent bundle of scintillating fibers is disclosed. A method includes providing a collimated bundle having a glass preform with capillaries therethrough known in the industry as a glass capillary array, and infusing the glass capillary array with a scintillating polymer or a polymer matrix containing scintillating nanoparticles.