X-ray detector including scintillator channel separator capable of improving sensitivity of X-ray detector

Claim 2

A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting essentially of a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; and first and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator.

Claim 3

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first thin film is a metal thin film.

Claim 4

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 2, wherein a metal of said metal thin film is selected from gold (Au), silver (Ag), chromium (Cr), stainless steel and aluminum (Al).

Claim 5

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 2, wherein said metal film is formed on one of said first and second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets by vapor deposition.

Claim 6

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second polymer sheets are made of color polyester sheets.

Claim 7

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 5, wherein color of said polyester sheets is white.

Claim 8

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first thin film is made of an aluminum thin film vapor-deposited on one of said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets are stuck to said corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements by way of a transparent adhesive agent.

Claim 9

A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting essentially of: a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; first and second polymer sheets having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being struck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator; and a second thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels, whereby both of said first thin film and said second thin film are sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets.

Claim 10

A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting essentially of: a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; first and second polymer sheets having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being struck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator; and a second thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels, whereby both of said first thin film and said second thin film are sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets.

Claim 11

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 8, wherein both of said first thin film and said second thin film are metal thin films.

Claim 12

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 9, wherein metals of said first and second metal thin films are selected from gold (Au), silver (Ag), chromium (Cr), stainless steel and aluminum (Al).

Claim 13

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first and second metal films are formed on one of said first and second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets by vapor deposition.

Claim 14

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first and second polymer sheets are made of color polyester sheets.

Claim 15

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 12, wherein color of said polyester sheets is white.

Claim 16

A scintillator channel separator as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first and second thin films are made of aluminum thin films vapor-deposited on each of said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets are stuck to said corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements by way of a transparent adhesive agent, and said first and second aluminum thin films are stuck to each other by way of an adhesive agent.

Claim 17

An X-ray detecting apparatus comprising at least: a scintillator array constructed of a plurality of scintillator elements for emitting scintillation light upon receipt of an X-ray; a photodiode array constructed of a plurality of photodiodes capable of detecting scintillation light emitted from said scintillator elements; and a scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of said X-ray scintillator array, said scintillator channel separator consisting essentially of: a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; and first and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator.

Claim 18

An X-ray detecting apparatus comprising at least: a scintillator array constructed of a plurality of scintillator elements for emitting scintillation light upon receipt of an X-ray; a photodiode array constructed of a plurality of photodiodes capable of detecting scintillation light emitted from said scintillator elements; and a scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of said X-ray scintillator array, said scintillator channel separator consisting essentially of: a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; and first and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator.

Claim 19

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first thin film is a metal thin film.

Claim 20

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein a metal of said metal thin film is selected from gold (Au), silver (Ag), chromium (Cr), a stainless steel and aluminum (Al).

Claim 21

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said metal film is formed on one of said first and second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets by vapor deposition.

Claim 22

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first and second polymer sheets are made of color polyester sheets.

Claim 23

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein color of said polyester sheets is white.

Claim 24

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first thin film is made of an aluminum thin film vapor-deposited on one of said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets are stuck to said corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements by way of a transparent adhesive agent.

Claim 25

An X-ray detecting apparatus comprising at least: a scintillator array constructed of a plurality of scintillator elements for emitting scintillation light upon receipt of an X-ray; a photodiode array constructed of a plurality of photodiodes capable of detecting scintillation light emitted from said scintillator elements; and a scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of said X-ray scintillator array, said scintillator channel separator consisting essentially of: a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; first and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator; and a second thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels, whereby both of said first thin film and said second thin film are sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets.

Claim 26

An X-ray detecting apparatus comprising at least: a scintillator array constructed of a plurality of scintillator elements for emitting scintillation light upon receipt of an X-ray; a photodiode array constructed of a plurality of photodiodes capable of detecting scintillation light emitted from said scintillator elements; and a scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of said X-ray scintillator array, said scintillator channel separator consisting essentially of: a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; first and second polymer sheets each having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator; and a second thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels, whereby both of said first thin film and said second thin film are sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets.

Claim 27

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein both of said first thin film and said second thin film are metal thin films.

Claim 28

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein metals of said first and second metal thin films are selected from gold (Au), silver (Ag), chromium (Cr), stainless steel and aluminum (Al).

Claim 29

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said first and second metal films are formed on one of said first and second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets by vapor deposition.

Claim 30

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said first and second polymer sheets are made of color polyester sheets.

Claim 31

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein color of said polyester sheets is white.

Claim 32

An X-ray detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said first and second thin films are made of aluminum thin films vapor-deposited on each of said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets are stuck to said corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements by way of a transparent adhesive agent, and said first and second aluminum thin films are stuck to each other by way of an adhesive agent.

Claim 33

A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting of a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; and first and second polymer sheets having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator.

Claim 34

A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting of a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; and first and second polymer sheets having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator.

Claim 35

A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting of a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; first and second polymer sheets having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator; and a second thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels, whereby both of said first thin film and said second thin film are sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets.

Claim 36

A scintillator channel separator for optically separating scintillation light from each other within each of plural scintillator element channels of an X-ray scintillator array, consisting of a first thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels; first and second polymer sheets having first and second major surfaces, and capable of reflecting the scintillation light, said first thin film being sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets, and said second major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets being stuck to corresponding side surfaces of the respective adjoining scintillator elements, whereby said thin film and said first and second polymer sheets constitute the scintillator channel separator; and a second thin film capable of blocking transmission of the scintillation light occurring in the adjoining scintillator element channels, whereby both of said first thin film and said second thin film are sandwiched between said first major surfaces of said first and second polymer sheets.