EP0319080B1 - Röntgenstrahl-Bildverstärkerröhre - Google Patents

Röntgenstrahl-Bildverstärkerröhre Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0319080B1
EP0319080B1 EP88202638A EP88202638A EP0319080B1 EP 0319080 B1 EP0319080 B1 EP 0319080B1 EP 88202638 A EP88202638 A EP 88202638A EP 88202638 A EP88202638 A EP 88202638A EP 0319080 B1 EP0319080 B1 EP 0319080B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tube
scintillator
photocathode
layer
chosen
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP88202638A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0319080A1 (de
Inventor
Pierre Marie-André Dolizy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Laboratoires dElectronique Philips SAS
Koninklijke Philips NV
Original Assignee
Laboratoires dElectronique Philips SAS
Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV
Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
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Publication date
Application filed by Laboratoires dElectronique Philips SAS, Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV, Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV filed Critical Laboratoires dElectronique Philips SAS
Publication of EP0319080A1 publication Critical patent/EP0319080A1/de
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Publication of EP0319080B1 publication Critical patent/EP0319080B1/de
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J29/00—Details of cathode-ray tubes or of electron-beam tubes of the types covered by group H01J31/00
    • H01J29/02—Electrodes; Screens; Mounting, supporting, spacing or insulating thereof
    • H01J29/10—Screens on or from which an image or pattern is formed, picked up, converted or stored
    • H01J29/36—Photoelectric screens; Charge-storage screens
    • H01J29/38—Photoelectric screens; Charge-storage screens not using charge storage, e.g. photo-emissive screen, extended cathode
    • H01J29/385—Photocathodes comprising a layer which modified the wave length of impinging radiation

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an X-ray image intensifier tube comprising an entrance window provided with an aluminum substrate which supports a scintillator which transforms, into visible or near visible light radiation, the X-ray which reaches the scintillator through the substrate, the light radiation being converted by a photocathode into a flow of electrons which, using electronic optics, provides a visible image on an output screen, and between the aluminum substrate and the scintillator is interposed a layer absorbing the light radiation emitted by the scintillator towards the aluminum substrate.
  • Document FR-A-2 515 423 which describes an input screen suitable for use in an image intensifier tube with increased resolution power.
  • the colomnial crystals of cesium iodide which constitute the scintillator come from particles of impurities on the surface of the aluminum substrate.
  • a side effect of these surface impurities is to promote the absorption of the light emitted towards the substrate.
  • the guiding action of the light obtained by the columnar crystals being imperfect, this mechanism of absorption of the light by the particles of impurities improves the contrast of the restored image.
  • These particles of impurities must constitute germs for the growth of the columnar crystals. They therefore form islands scattered on the surface of the aluminum substrate made visible by an appropriate chemical treatment. The light emitted by the scintillator towards the substrate is therefore only incidentally absorbed by these particles of impurities whose presence and nature are random.
  • the problem is therefore to have a tube provided with an input window having a high resolution for the entire surface of the restored image.
  • the performance of the tube must be reproducible and reliable.
  • an invention of the kind described in the preamble is known from document EP-A-0 240 951. It relates to an X-ray image intensifier which notably comprises a film absorbing light. This film is placed on the surface of the aluminum substrate. The characteristics are not exposed in this document but reference is made to document JP-A-56-165251 which indicates that this layer is formed by evaporation of a layer of blackened Al after anodic oxidation of the aluminum substrate. However, this layer is not properly adapted to absorb the green luminescence radiation from cesium iodide. Indeed, its transmission as a function of the wavelength as well as its optical indices are not well suited to solve this problem.
  • the absorbent layer consists of a material chosen from the following materials: titanium nitride, cadmium sulfide, (Cu, PbI2).
  • the invention places a low index layer between the scintillator and the photocathode having a refractive index lower than that of the photocathode.
  • the material of this layer can be chosen from the following materials: MgF2, cryolite (Na3AlF6).
  • the scintillator is chosen from the following materials: CsI (Na), NaI (Tl), CsI (Tl), CdWO4, Bi4Ge3O12, CaWO4.
  • a secondary problem is to have a high brightness while retaining the resolution of the tube.
  • a chemical barrier consisting of a layer chosen from the following materials: Al2O3, Si3N4, SiO2. This chemical barrier prevents the sodium contained in the scintillator from migrating to the photocathode.
  • This layer is chosen from the following materials: palladium, aluminum, In2O3, SnO2, ITO (mixture of In2O3 at 90% and SnO2 at 10%).
  • FIG. 1A represents an X-ray image intensifier tube which comprises, at the input, a separation sheet 23 with the vacuum formed of a suitable material, for example titanium.
  • the separation sheet is followed by an entry window 21.
  • the assembly is mounted in a vacuum envelope which further comprises a cylindrical surface 43 with a conical part 45, a terminal anode support 49 and a window outlet tube 20.
  • the tube is provided at its inlet with a mounting ring 22 to which the separation sheet 23 is connected as well as a support 24 for the inlet screen 21.
  • the photoelectron beams 52 coming from a photocathode 13 form an image on a luminescent layer 46 which is preferably deposited on an output screen 20 formed of a plate of optical fibers.
  • the electronic image projected onto the output screen generates an optical image in the layer of luminescent material. This optical image is then used in the usual way to be viewed.
  • the entrance window 21 comprises in order an aluminum substrate 10, an absorbent layer 11, a scintillator 12 and a photocathode 13.
  • the incident X-rays arrive on the structure through the substrate 10 and electrons e- are emitted by photocathode 13.
  • the ray 51 penetrates the photocathode 13 which emits electrons 52.
  • the same point 50 can emit rays such as the ray 53 in the direction of the substrate 10.
  • the ray 53 is reflected according to the radius 54 and electrons 55 are emitted by the photocathode.
  • the same point 50 produces several emissions of electrons 52, 55 and this results in a resolution defect in the tube.
  • the rays 53 which are emitted in direction of the substrate are absorbed.
  • absorption must occur in a continuous and homogeneous manner over the entire surface of the entry window in order to restore an image of homogeneous quality.
  • the absorption must be as high as possible for the wavelength of the light emitted by the scintillator.
  • the scintillators can be chosen from the following materials: CsI (Na), NaI (Tl), CsI (Tl), CdWO4, Bi4Ge3O12, CaWO4.
  • the wavelength of the light emitted is close to 430 nm.
  • the absorbent layer must allow this radiation to be absorbed.
  • the material can be chosen from the following materials: TiN, CdS, (Cu, PbI2).
  • FIG. 2 represents the reflection rate of a TiN layer deposited on an aluminum substrate for light emitted at 430 nm by a CsI (Na) scintillator. This rate is represented as a function of the thickness of the absorbent layer. It is noted that the reflection rate becomes less than 10% as soon as the TiN layer reaches a thickness of approximately 50 nm.
  • FIG. 3 represents the reflection rate of a layer of CdS deposited on an aluminum substrate for a wavelength of 430 nm as a function of the thickness of the layer.
  • the thicknesses of CdS can be chosen in substantially the following ranges: 115 nm to 135 nm, 185 nm at 235 nm, greater than 260 nm for a light emission at 430 nm.
  • Each scintillator will have a light spectrum centered on its own central wavelength. These light spectra are distributed between substantially 400 nm and substantially 600 nm.
  • the thicknesses of CdS layers are therefore to be determined both according to a predetermined admissible value for the reflection rate and according to the central emission wavelength of the scintillator used. Those skilled in the art by preliminary measurements of the reflection rate as a function of the thickness for the wavelength and the material chosen can thus easily choose the thickness according to the tolerated reflection rate.
  • FIG. 4 represents an embodiment of the invention which includes an additional layer 19 with a low refractive index placed between the scintillator 12 and the photocathode 13.
  • an additional layer 19 with a low refractive index placed between the scintillator 12 and the photocathode 13.
  • point 63 can be quite distant from the radial direction coming from point 50 perpendicular to the curved surface of the photocathode, a direction which is substantially the axial direction of the columnar crystals.
  • the electrons which come from ray 61 will thus contribute to decrease the resolution of the image of the tube.
  • This second cause of a decrease in resolution is corrected using a low index layer 19 having a refractive index lower than that of the scintillator 12, placed between the scintillator 12 and the photocathode 13.
  • the radius 60 strikes the surface of this layer at point 64 and undergoes a total reflection along the radius 62.
  • the light rays which are substantially distant from the axial direction of the columnar crystals are returned and do not participate in the creation of electrons.
  • This layer 19 must have a low absorption so as not to disturb the luminosity.
  • the material of this layer can be chosen from the following materials: MgF2, cryolite (Na3AlF6). In the useful wavelength range which is between approximately 400 nm and 600 nm, the refractive index of MgF2 is between 1.33 and 1.37 approximately with an extinction index practically zero. The values are substantially similar for the cryolite.
  • This chemical barrier consists of a layer chosen from the following materials: Al2O3, Si3N4, SiO2.
  • the photocathode material is generally not very conductive, it is possible to ensure a homogeneous distribution of the electrical potential by placing a conductive layer on the photocathode on the side of the scintillator. This conductive layer must also be transparent to allow pass the radiation emitted by the scintillator. If a chemical barrier exists, the conductive and transparent layer is placed between the photocathode and the chemical barrier.
  • the following materials can be used: palladium, aluminum, In2O3, SnO2 or the ITO material which a mixture of In2O3 (90%) and SnO2 (10%).
  • the entry window produced with an absorbent layer, for example made of TiN, and a photocathode with a high photoelectric efficiency, for example made of K2CsSb, will generally be able to have a photoelectric yield higher than an entry window made without these materials.
  • FIG. 6 represents the variations in the photoelectric efficiency Y of a photocathode as a function of the thickness of the scintillator.
  • the thickness of the photocathode is such that the photoelectric efficiency is at its maximum.
  • Curve 31 relates to the Al / TiN / CsI, Na / Al2O3 / K2CsSb structure. Its reflection rate of light emitted by the scintillator and reflected by the substrate is less than 10%.
  • Curve 32 relates to the Al / CsI, Na / Al2O3 / K2CsSb structure. Its reflection rate is around 70%. Curve 31 is below curve 32 because indeed, the absorbed light is lost and does not can generate electrons.
  • Curve 33 relates to the Al / CsI, Na / Cs3Sb structure. Curve 31 is located above curve 33. This means that an entrance window with an absorbent layer and a photocathode with high photoelectric efficiency can exhibit increased performance compared to a usual structure. Likewise, it can be seen that an input window corresponding to curve 31 can have performances equal to those obtained with an input window corresponding to curve 33, and this with a much smaller scintillator thickness.
  • this thickness can be reduced from 0.4 to 0.2 mm approximately.
  • This reduction in the thickness of the scintillator also contributes to improving the resolution of the tube.
  • the crystals which constitute the scintillator generally have, over a certain thickness (ten micrometers), dislocations which cause a diffusion of light.
  • the proposed thickness reduction retains a sufficient scintillator thickness so that this dislocated zone only slightly disturbs the mechanisms.
  • this reduction in thickness is very advantageous since these X-ray detection tubes require crystals to grow on entry window surfaces of several square decimetres. Such a reduction in thickness results in a significant saving of material and an increased manufacturing yield.

Landscapes

  • Image-Pickup Tubes, Image-Amplification Tubes, And Storage Tubes (AREA)

Claims (11)

  1. Röntgenbildverstärkerröhre mit einem Eintrittsfenster, das mit einem Aluminiumsubstrat versehen ist, das einen Szintillator trägt, der die Röntgenstrahlung, die den Szintillator durch das Substrat hindurch erreicht, in eine sichtbare Lichtstrahlung oder nahezu sichtbare Lichtstrahlung umwandelt, wobei die Lichtstrahlung von einer Fotokathode in einen Elektronenfluß umgesetzt wird, der mit optoelektronischen Mitteln ein sichtbares Bild auf einem Ausgangsschirm liefert, und daß zwischen dem Aluminiumsubstrat und dem Szintillator eine Schicht angeordnet ist, die die Lichtstrahlung aus dem Szintillator in Richtung auf das Aluminiumsubstrat absorbiert, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die absorbierende Schicht einen Werkstoff enthält, der aus folgenden Werkstoffen gewählt ist: Titannitrid, Kadmiumschwefel, (Cu, PbI₂).
  2. Röhre nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß eine Schicht mit niedrigem Brechungsindex einen Brechungsindex besitzt, der niedriger ist als der der Fotokathode, und diese Schicht ist zwischem dem Szintillator und der Fotokathode angeordnet.
  3. Röhre nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Werkstoff der Schicht mit niedrigem Brechnungsindex aus folgenden Werkstoffen gewählt ist: MgF₂, Kryolith (Na₃AlF₆).
  4. Röhre nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Titannitridschicht eine Dicke von wenigstens 50 nm hat.
  5. Röhre nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Dicke zwischen 75 nm und 120 nm liegt.
  6. Röhre nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Kadmiumschwefelschicht eine Dicke in einem der folgenden Bereiche hat: zwischen etwa 115 nm und 135 nm, zwischen etwa 185 nm und 235 nm, über etwa 260 nm.
  7. Röhre nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Fotokathode aus folgenden Werkstoffen gewählt ist: K₂CsSb, Rb₂CsSb, CbCs₃, (SbNa₂K, Cs).
  8. Röhre nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Szintillator aus folgenden Werkstoffen gewählt wird: CsI(Na), NaI(Tl), CsI(Tl), CdWO₄, Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂, CaWO₄.
  9. Röhre nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Szintillator aus CsI(Na) eine Dicke hat, die etwa zwischen 100 und 1000 Mikrometer liegt.
  10. Röhre nach Anspruch 7 und 9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß eine chemische Barriere zwischen dem Szintillator und der Fotokathode angeordnet ist, wobei die chemische Barriere aus folgenden Werkstoffen gewählt wird: Al₂O3, Si₃N₄, SiO₂.
  11. Röhre nach Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß eine elektrisch leitende und optisch transparente Schicht zwischen der Fotokathode und der chemischen Barriere angebracht ist, und diese Schicht ist aus folgenden Werkstoffen gewählt wird: Palladium, Aluminium, In₂O3, SnO₂, Mischung von In₂O₃ (90%) und von SnO₂ (10%).
EP88202638A 1987-11-24 1988-11-23 Röntgenstrahl-Bildverstärkerröhre Expired - Lifetime EP0319080B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8716252 1987-11-24
FR8716252A FR2623659B1 (fr) 1987-11-24 1987-11-24 Tube intensificateur d'images a rayons x

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0319080A1 EP0319080A1 (de) 1989-06-07
EP0319080B1 true EP0319080B1 (de) 1993-09-29

Family

ID=9357091

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP88202638A Expired - Lifetime EP0319080B1 (de) 1987-11-24 1988-11-23 Röntgenstrahl-Bildverstärkerröhre

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US4982136A (de)
EP (1) EP0319080B1 (de)
JP (1) JP2796320B2 (de)
DE (1) DE3884570T2 (de)
FR (1) FR2623659B1 (de)

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2647955B1 (fr) * 1989-05-30 1991-08-16 Thomson Tubes Electroniques Ecran d'entree de tube intensificateur d'image radiologique
EP0403802B1 (de) * 1989-06-20 1997-04-16 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Röntgenbildverstärker und Verfahren zur Herstellung des Eingangsschirmes
JPH0810584B2 (ja) * 1989-11-07 1996-01-31 株式会社東芝 Ｘ線イメージ管及びその製造方法
JP3297078B2 (ja) * 1991-05-24 2002-07-02 株式会社東芝 Ｘ線イメージ管およびその製造方法
FR2683388A1 (fr) * 1991-10-31 1993-05-07 Thomson Tubes Electroniques Tube intensificateur d'image radiologique a resolution amelioree.
DE4342217C1 (de) * 1993-12-10 1995-03-30 Siemens Ag Röntgenbildverstärker und Verfahren zu seiner Herstellung
US20030141814A1 (en) * 2002-01-29 2003-07-31 Leonid Gaber Light intensifier tube
JP5911274B2 (ja) * 2011-11-28 2016-04-27 キヤノン株式会社 放射線検出装置及び放射線撮像システム
US11747493B2 (en) 2020-09-16 2023-09-05 Amir Massoud Dabiran Multi-purpose high-energy particle sensor array and method of making the same for high-resolution imaging

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2681868A (en) * 1949-08-10 1954-06-22 Westinghouse Electric Corp Image amplifier
BE500727A (de) * 1950-01-20
US3693018A (en) * 1966-12-27 1972-09-19 Varian Associates X-ray image intensifier tubes having the photo-cathode formed directly on the pick-up screen
US3706885A (en) * 1971-01-29 1972-12-19 Gen Electric Photocathode-phosphor imaging system for x-ray camera tubes
DE2134762B2 (de) * 1971-07-12 1977-12-01 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Fotokathode
DE2307026C2 (de) * 1973-02-13 1983-01-20 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Röntgenbildverstärker-Eingangsschirm
JPS5026468A (de) * 1973-07-09 1975-03-19
JPS586260B2 (ja) * 1976-08-30 1983-02-03 株式会社東芝 Ｘ線螢光増倍管およびその製造方法
JPS5317266A (en) * 1976-07-31 1978-02-17 Toshiba Corp X-ray video multiplying tube and its production
JPS53122356A (en) * 1977-04-01 1978-10-25 Hitachi Ltd X-ray fluorescent film
JPS597679B2 (ja) * 1979-03-28 1984-02-20 株式会社日立製作所 シンチレ−タ用結晶及びその製造方法
US4447721A (en) * 1979-08-31 1984-05-08 Diagnostic Information, Inc. Panel type X-ray image intensifier tube and radiographic camera system
JPS56165251A (en) * 1980-05-23 1981-12-18 Toshiba Corp Input surface of x-ray image intensifier and its manufacturing method
DE3774746D1 (de) * 1986-04-04 1992-01-09 Toshiba Kawasaki Kk Roentgenstrahlenbildverstaerker.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2796320B2 (ja) 1998-09-10
DE3884570T2 (de) 1994-04-07
EP0319080A1 (de) 1989-06-07
US4982136A (en) 1991-01-01
FR2623659B1 (fr) 1990-03-09
DE3884570D1 (de) 1993-11-04
FR2623659A1 (fr) 1989-05-26
JPH01166442A (ja) 1989-06-30

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