Encapsulated scintillation phosphor

Claim 2

AN ENCAPSULATED RADIATION DETECTOR COMPRISING A SHAPED SCINTILLATION PHOSPHOR SENSITIVE TO IONIZING RADIATION SO AS TO EMIT FLASHES OF FLIGHT UPON IMPINGMENT OF SAID RADIATION WITHIN SAID PHOSPHOR, A REFLECTIVE FOIL TO PROVIDE SPECULAR REFLECTION ON ALL SURFACES OF SAID CRYSTAL EXCEPT A SURFACE THROUGH WHICH SAID FLASHES OF LIGHT ARE TO BE ESSENTIALLY, UNIFORMLY COLLECTD INDEPENDENT OF SCINTILLATION SITE, SAID FOIL BEING FIXEDLY DISPOSED UPON AID SURFACE BY MEANS OF A SHRINK-FITTED JACKET PROVIDED BY A THERMOPLASTIC SYNTHETIC RESINOUS MATERIAL PERMEABLE TO SAID IONIZING RADIATION, DISPOSED UPON SAID FOIL.

Claim 3

A scintillation crystal consisting essentially of a shaped inorganic crystal encased in a reflective foil on all surfaces of said crystal except that surface through which light emanating within said crystal as a result of impingement of light-producing radiation is to be monitored, said reflective foil being fixedly disposed upon said surfaces by means of a thermoplastic synthetic resinous material heat-shrunk upon said surfaces to fixedly maintain said reflective foil in maximum specular-reflecting relationship upon said crystal.

Claim 4

A scintillation crystal consisting essentially of a shaped inorganic crystal encased in a reflective foil on all surfaces of said crystal except that surface through which light emanating within said crystal as a result of impingement of light-producing radiation is to be monitored, said reflective foil being fixedly disposed upon said surfaces by means of a thermoplastic synthetic resinous material heat-shrunk upon said surfaces to fixedly maintain said reflective foil in maximum specular-reflecting relationship upon said crystal.

Claim 5

A cylindrical scintillation crystal one end of which is open to gamma-ray radiation capable of generating visible light within said crystal, said visible light to be monitored through the other end, said crystal being shielded from radiation about its cylindrical surface, a visible light reflective gamma-ray-permeable foil disposed on said open end and said cylindrical surface, said foil maintained in fixed relationship thereupon by means of a heat shrunk gamma-ray-permeable thermoplastic synthetic resinous material tightly encasing said crystal with said foil at the same time maintaining said other end in visible light communication with means for quantifying said light.

Claim 6

A cylindrical scintillation crystal one end of which is open to gamma-ray radiation capable of generating visible light within said crystal, said visible light to be monitored through the other end, said crystal being shielded from radiation about its cylindrical surface, a visible light reflective gamma-ray-permeable foil disposed on said open end and said cylindrical surface, said foil maintained in fixed relationship thereupon by means of a heat shrunk gamma-ray-permeable thermoplastic synthetic resinous material tightly encasing said crystal with said foil at the same time maintaining said other end in visible light communication with means for quantifying said light.

Claim 7

The article of claim 3 wherein said heat shrunk thermoplastic synthetic resinous material is a halogenated polyolefin.

Claim 8

The article of claim 4 wherein the halogenated polyolefin is polytetrafluoroethylene.

Claim 9

A crystal of claim 3 wherein said reflective coating is provided by a foil of reflective metal having a thickness in the range from 0.1 to 100 mils.

Claim 10

A crystal of claim 6 wherein said reflective coating is aluminum foil.

Claim 11

In a measuring device for monitoring gamma rays impinging upon plural scintillation crystals or phosphors proximately disposed relative to each other, the surfaces of said crystals being shielded from gamma rays on all surfaces except a gamma-ray-permeable surface, the Other surface being in visible light communication for monitoring of light emanating within said crystal by means of a photo multiplier tube, the improvement consisting of a reflective foil disposed upon all said surfaces, said foil maintained fixedly upon said surface by a heat shrunk gamma-ray-permeable thermoplastic synthetic resinous material.

Claim 12

In a measuring device for monitoring gamma rays impinging upon plural scintillation crystals or phosphors proximately disposed relative to each other, the surfaces of said crystals being shielded from gamma rays on all surfaces except a gamma-ray-permeable surface, the Other surface being in visible light communication for monitoring of light emanating within said crystal by means of a photo multiplier tube, the improvement consisting of a reflective foil disposed upon all said surfaces, said foil maintained fixedly upon said surface by a heat shrunk gamma-ray-permeable thermoplastic synthetic resinous material.