US5138171A
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US
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Photostimulable phosphor and its use in radiography
Assignee: Agfa Gevaert NV
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Filing: 1991-03-19
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Granted: 1992-08-11
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Expires: 2011-03-19
Abstract
Abstract A photostimulable X-ray energy absorbing halosilicate, halogermanate or halo(silicate-germanate) phosphor, characterized in that said phosphor contains as host metal at least one alkaline earth metal, as halogen at least one member selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br and I, as dopant Eu 2+ and as co-dopant at least one member selected from the group consisting of niobium and tantalum.
Inventors
- 👤 Melvin Tecotzky
- 👤 Paul Leblans
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:36
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21K; G21K4/00; C; C09; C09K; C09K11/00; C09K11/08; C09K11/77; C09K11/7728; C09K11/7735; G21K2004/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A photostimulable X-ray energy absorbing halosilicate, halogermanate or halo(silicategermanate) phosphor having the empirical formula: Ba.sub.5-(n+p+q) Z.sub.q Ge.sub.v Si.sub.w O.sub.4 X.sub.6 :Eu.sub.n.sup.2+, D.sub.p.sup.m+, M.sub.z wherein: Z is at least one co-host metal selected from the group consisting of strontium and calcium, g is in the range of 0 to 0.5, v is in the range 0≦v ≦1, v+w being equal to 1, X is bromine and/or chlorine, n is in the range of 0.0001 to 0.15, p is in the range of 0 to 0.015, D is at least one co-dopant selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + and a rare earth metal ion other than Eu 2+ and Ce 3+ , m is 1 or 3, M is niobium and/or tantalum, and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.1.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A photostimulable X-ray energy absorbing halosilicate, halogermanate or halo(silicategermanate) phosphor having the empirical formula: Ba.sub.5-(n+p+q) Z.sub.q Ge.sub.v Si.sub.w O.sub.4 X.sub.6 :Eu.sub.n.sup.2+, D.sub.p.sup.m+, M.sub.z wherein: Z is at least one co-host metal selected from the group consisting of strontium and calcium, g is in the range of 0 to 0.5, v is in the range 0≦v ≦1, v+w being equal to 1, X is bromine and/or chlorine, n is in the range of 0.0001 to 0.15, p is in the range of 0 to 0.015, D is at least one co-dopant selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + and a rare earth metal ion other than Eu 2+ and Ce 3+ , m is 1 or 3, M is niobium and/or tantalum, and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.1.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A phosphor according to claim 1, wherein M is niobium and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.02.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A phosphor according to claim 1, wherein M is tantalum and z is in the range of 0.02 to 0.1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
10 words
The phosphor according to claim 1 wherein q is 0.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The phosphor according to claim 1 wherein q and p are each equal to 0.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
129 words
A photostimulable X-ray energy absorbing halosilicate, halogermanate or halo(silicategermanate) phosphor having the empirical formula: Sr.sub.5-(n+p+q) Z.sub.q Ge.sub.v Si.sub.w O.sub.4 Br.sub.6 :Eu.sub.n.sup.2+, D.sub.p.sup.m+, M.sub.z wherein: Z is at least one co-host metal selected from the group consisting of barium and calcium, q is in the range of 0 to 0.5, v is in the range 0≦v≦1, v+w being equal to 1, n is in the range of 0.0001 to 0.15, p is in the range of 0 to 0.015, D is at least one co-dopant selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + and a rare earth metal ion other than Eu 2+ and Ce 3+ , m is 1 or 3, M is niobium and/or tantalum, and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
129 words
A photostimulable X-ray energy absorbing halosilicate, halogermanate or halo(silicategermanate) phosphor having the empirical formula: Sr.sub.5-(n+p+q) Z.sub.q Ge.sub.v Si.sub.w O.sub.4 Br.sub.6 :Eu.sub.n.sup.2+, D.sub.p.sup.m+, M.sub.z wherein: Z is at least one co-host metal selected from the group consisting of barium and calcium, q is in the range of 0 to 0.5, v is in the range 0≦v≦1, v+w being equal to 1, n is in the range of 0.0001 to 0.15, p is in the range of 0 to 0.015, D is at least one co-dopant selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + and a rare earth metal ion other than Eu 2+ and Ce 3+ , m is 1 or 3, M is niobium and/or tantalum, and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.1.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
10 words
The phosphor according to claim 6 wherein q is 0.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The phosphor according to claim 6 wherein q and p are each equal to 0.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
200 words
A method for recording and reproducing an X-ray image comprising the steps of: (1) image-wise exposing a photostimulable phosphor to X-rays, (2) photostimulating said phosphor with stimulating electromagnetic radiation selected from visible light and infrared light to release from said phosphor in accordance with the absorbed X-rays electromagnetic radiation different in wavelength characteristic from the radiation used in the photostimulation, and (3) detecting the light emitted by the photostimulation applied to step (2), characterized in that said phosphor has the empirical formula: Ba.sub.5-(n+p+q) Z.sub.q Ge.sub.v Si.sub.w O.sub.4 X.sub.6 :Eu.sub.n.sup.2+,D.sub.p.sup.m+,M.sub.z wherein: Z is at least one co-host metal selected from the group consisting of strontium and calcium, q is in the range of 0 to 0.5, v is in the range 0≦v≦1, v+w being equal to 1, X is bromine and/or chlorine, n is in the range of 0.0001 to 0.15, p is in the range of 0 to 0.015, D is at least one co-dopant selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + and a rare earth metal ion other than Eu 2+ and Ce 3+ , m is 1 or 3, M is niobium and/or tantalum, and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.1.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
200 words
A method for recording and reproducing an X-ray image comprising the steps of: (1) image-wise exposing a photostimulable phosphor to X-rays, (2) photostimulating said phosphor with stimulating electromagnetic radiation selected from visible light and infrared light to release from said phosphor in accordance with the absorbed X-rays electromagnetic radiation different in wavelength characteristic from the radiation used in the photostimulation, and (3) detecting the light emitted by the photostimulation applied to step (2), characterized in that said phosphor has the empirical formula: Ba.sub.5-(n+p+q) Z.sub.q Ge.sub.v Si.sub.w O.sub.4 X.sub.6 :Eu.sub.n.sup.2+,D.sub.p.sup.m+,M.sub.z wherein: Z is at least one co-host metal selected from the group consisting of strontium and calcium, q is in the range of 0 to 0.5, v is in the range 0≦v≦1, v+w being equal to 1, X is bromine and/or chlorine, n is in the range of 0.0001 to 0.15, p is in the range of 0 to 0.015, D is at least one co-dopant selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + and a rare earth metal ion other than Eu 2+ and Ce 3+ , m is 1 or 3, M is niobium and/or tantalum, and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein M is niobium and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.02.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein M is tantalum and z is in the range of 0.02 to 0.1.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein the photostimulation proceeds with visible light in the wavelength range of 480 to 560 nm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the photostimulation proceeds with the laser beam of an argon ion laser emitting at 514.5 nm or with the 532 nm laser beam of a frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein before detecting said light emitted by photostimulation the stimulating light is filtered out by one or more optical filters having a high transmission for the light emitted on photostimulation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein the light emitted on photostimulation is detected photo-electronically and yields electrical signals that are digitized and stored, are displayed on a cathode-ray tube or are used to modulate a writing laser beam for scanning a photographic material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein q equals 0.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein q and p are equal to 0.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
195 words
A method for recording and reproducing an X-ray image comprising the steps of: (1) image-wise exposing a photostimulable phosphor to X-rays, (2) photostimulating said phosphor with stimulating electromagnetic radiation selected from visible light and infrared light to release from said phosphor in accordance with the absorbed X-rays electromagnetic radiation different in wavelength characteristic from the radiation used in the photostimulation, and (3) detecting the light emitted by the photostimulation applied to step (2), characterized in that said phosphor has the empirical formula: Sr.sub.5-(n+p+q) Z.sub.q Ge.sub.v Si.sub.w O.sub.4 Br.sub.6 :Eu.sub.n.sup.2+,D.sub.p.sup.m+,M.sub.z wherein: Z is at least one co-host metal selected from the group consisting of barium and calcium, q is in the range of 0 to 0.5, v is in the range 0≦v≦1, v+w being equal to 1, n is in the range of 0.0001 to 0.15, p is in the range of 0 to 0.015, D is at least one co-dopant selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + and a rare earth metal ion other than Eu 2+ and Ce 3+ , m is 1 or 3, M is niobium and/or tantalum, and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.1.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
195 words
A method for recording and reproducing an X-ray image comprising the steps of: (1) image-wise exposing a photostimulable phosphor to X-rays, (2) photostimulating said phosphor with stimulating electromagnetic radiation selected from visible light and infrared light to release from said phosphor in accordance with the absorbed X-rays electromagnetic radiation different in wavelength characteristic from the radiation used in the photostimulation, and (3) detecting the light emitted by the photostimulation applied to step (2), characterized in that said phosphor has the empirical formula: Sr.sub.5-(n+p+q) Z.sub.q Ge.sub.v Si.sub.w O.sub.4 Br.sub.6 :Eu.sub.n.sup.2+,D.sub.p.sup.m+,M.sub.z wherein: Z is at least one co-host metal selected from the group consisting of barium and calcium, q is in the range of 0 to 0.5, v is in the range 0≦v≦1, v+w being equal to 1, n is in the range of 0.0001 to 0.15, p is in the range of 0 to 0.015, D is at least one co-dopant selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + and a rare earth metal ion other than Eu 2+ and Ce 3+ , m is 1 or 3, M is niobium and/or tantalum, and z is in the range of 0.001 to 0.1.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method according to claim 18 wherein q equals 0.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 18 wherein q and p are each equal to 0.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-08-11 | 1996-02-10 | 1996-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-08-11 | 2000-02-10 | 2000-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-08-11 | 2004-02-10 | 2004-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |