Optical enhancements to scintillating systems using dynamically controlled materials

摘要

A scintillator crystal (22) for a diagnostic device (10) has a reflective surface which is dynamically adjustable. Radiation (42) from a diagnostic scan enters a detector (14a, 14b, 14c) and strikes the scintillator crystal (22). The scintillator crystal (22) converts the radiation into a plurality of scintillations or light photons (26) which travel in all directions. A plurality of photomultiplier tubes (30) are optically coupled to an optically transmissive plate (28) which is optically coupled to an exit surface of the scintillator crystal. The entrance surface of the scintillator crystal is polished and laminated with a liquid crystal layer (54). The liquid crystal layer has light dispersion and reflectivity properties which are dynamically adjustable in response to electrical (62) or chemical stimuli. The liquid crystal layer is adjustably electrically biased to adjust a solid angle with which optical photons are reflected back towards the photomultiplier tubes to optimize a light spread function or solid angle of reflection.