Scintillator Stack with Light-Transportation Layers

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional scintillator-based detectors suffer from inefficiencies due to energy loss as radiation particles must travel through thick scintillator layers, leading to reduced detection efficiency and non-uniform energy deposition, which affects the accuracy and sensitivity of radiation detection.

Innovation Solution

A scintillator stack with alternating thin layers of light-transportation and scintillator layers, manufactured using a co-extrusion method, captures more scintillation light and reduces energy loss, allowing for uniform energy deposition and enhanced detection efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If thick scintillator layers are used, then detection coverage is improved, but energy loss increases and detection efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection coverageVSAvoidenergy loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The scintillator stack is divided into multiple thin scintillator layers separated by light-transportation layers. This segmentation allows radiation particles to interact with scintillator material in smaller increments, reducing energy loss while maintaining total detection coverage through the stacked configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Light-transportation layers are introduced as intermediary elements between scintillator layers. These layers facilitate the transport of scintillation light from one layer to another, enabling efficient energy transfer across the stacked structure without requiring thick continuous scintillator material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If thick scintillator layers are used, then detection coverage is improved, but detection efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection coverageVSAvoiddetection efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The scintillator stack is divided into multiple thin scintillator layers separated by light-transportation layers. This segmentation allows radiation particles to interact with scintillator material in smaller increments, reducing energy loss while maintaining total detection coverage through the stacked configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The thickness parameter of individual scintillator layers is changed from thick to thin (less than 100 microns), and the stack configuration is changed from single-layer to multi-layer alternating structure. This parameter change optimizes both detection coverage and efficiency by balancing interaction probability with energy loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional scintillator detectors are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but energy deposition uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidenergy deposition uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The scintillator stack is divided into multiple thin scintillator layers separated by light-transportation layers. This segmentation allows radiation particles to interact with scintillator material in smaller increments, reducing energy loss while maintaining total detection coverage through the stacked configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The alternating layer structure creates a homogeneous distribution of scintillator and light-transportation materials throughout the stack. This homogeneous composition ensures uniform energy deposition across different regions of the detector, improving measurement consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

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

The scintillator stack achieves improved light output and detection efficiency by minimizing energy loss and ensuring consistent energy deposition, potentially using less scintillator material while maintaining or exceeding the light output of conventional detectors.

Implementation Method 1

When a scintillator material of the scintillator-based detector is exposed to ionizing radiation, the scintillator material absorbs energy of incoming radiation and scintillates, remitting the absorbed energy in the form of photons.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectScintillation: Scintillation

Implementation Method 2

a light-transportation layer optically coupled to the scintillator layer, wherein the light-transportation layer transports light from the scintillator layer with less energy loss compared to conventional light transport methods

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transport: Light

Data Source

PatentUS9707710B2Scintillator stack, device including the scintillator stack, and method for making the scintillator stack

Publication Date: 2017.07.18 LUXIUM SOLUTIONS LLC

AI summary

A scintillator stack includes a light-transportation layer and a scintillator layer. The scintillator stack can be included in a scintillator device. The scintillator stack can be made using a co-extrusion method.