SBIR Phase I: Micromachined Scintillating Pixel X-Ray Imaging Plate

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目的重点是使用放射性核素、放射性示踪剂或X射线束对生物标本进行石油、X射线和粒子成像。成像探测器要求：探测效率接近1；光子计数；高空间分辨率，与胶片相当；由于对散射的X射线或粒子不敏感而改善对比度；激光雷达强度响应；大动态范围；低噪声；以及使用X射线能量的差分衰减成像。为了解决这些问题，我们提出了一种新形式的高空间精度成像闪烁体像素板，它是通过微加工硅中非常高的长宽比(长/直径)孔来制造的。通过形成包层薄膜，例如通过氧化壁来形成二氧化硅，硅空穴将形成介质波导(光纤)。这些孔将填充标准和新型闪烁材料，包括折射率匹配的胶体分散纳米晶体光刻技术，孔直径从1微米到1毫米，极板厚度高达约1毫米。闪烁体阵列与光学像素探测器的精度和空间分辨率很好地匹配，包括CCD图像增强器和胶片。该计划可能导致新的大面积、高精度X射线成像仪，使医疗和牙科X射线中的胶片更换或增强胶片成为可能。它还可能以低成本制造超高精度的光纤板，以及紧凑的全口径光学和X射线准直器。

This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project focuses oil x-ray and particle imaging of biological specimens using radionuclides, radiotracers or x-ray beams. An imaging detector requires: detection efficiency close to unity; photon counting; high spatial resolution, comparable to film; improved contrast due to insensitivity to scattered x-rays or particles; liticar intensity response; large dynamic range; low noise; and differential attenuation imaging using x-ray energies. We propose to address these issues with a novel form of' high spatial precision imaging scintillator pixel plate, fabricated by micromachining of very high aspect ratio holes (length/diameter) in silicon. The Si holes will be formed into dielectric waveguides (optical fibers) by forming a cladding film, for example by oxidizing the walls to form SiO2. The holes will be filled with standard and novel scintillation materials, including index-matched collodal dispersions of nanocrystalline photolithographic techniques, with holes from 1 um-1 mm in diamiter, and plate thickness up to about 1 mm. The scintillator array is well-matched to the precision and spatial resolution of optical pixel detectors including CCD image intensifiers and film. This program may led to novel large area, high precision x-ray imagers, enabling replacement of film or enhancing film in medical and dental x-rays. It may also lead to ultra-high precision fiber-optic plates at low cost, and compact full aperture optical and x-ray collimators.