Photodetector scintillator radiation imager.

摘要

A radiation imager comprising an array of scintillator elements optically coupled to a photodetector array comprises a dielectric layer extending around at least the sidewalls of the scintillator elements, and preferably over the surface of the scintillator elements through which the incident radiation enters, and an optically reflective layer disposed over the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer has an optical index that is less than that of the scintillator material, and consequently light collection efficiency of the scintillator is improved as light photons generated in the scintillator reflected back into the scintillator both at the interface of the scintillator and the dielectric layer and at the optically reflective layer. A dome-shaped surface at the end of the scintillator element through which the incident radiation enters and an undulatory-shaped surface at the end of the scintillator which is optically coupled to the photodetectors further increase the light collection efficiency of the scintillator by reducing the number of photons that undergo total internal reflection in the scintillator. <IMAGE>