Method and apparatus for manufacturing curved gamma camera detector crystals

摘要

An apparatus and methods for manufacturing curved scintillation crystal detector plates uses hot forging of crystal material. Crystal material is brought to a temperature between its plastic temperature and its melting temperature, and it is pressed between a pair of dies having curved pressing surfaces. The heated crystal material may be a freshly-drawn ingot of crystal material, and the method for producing curved plates may include cutting the hot-forged ingot into individual plates.