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。 成像探测器需要：探测效率接近1;光子计数;与胶片相当的高空间分辨率;由于对散射的X射线或粒子不敏感而提高的对比度;激光强度响应;大动态范围;低噪声;以及使用X射线能量的差分衰减成像。 我们建议解决这些问题与一种新的形式的高空间精度成像闪烁体像素板，非常高的纵横比孔（长度/直径）的硅微加工制造。 通过形成包覆膜，例如通过氧化壁以形成SiO2，将Si孔形成为电介质波导（光纤）。 这些孔将填充标准和新型闪烁材料，包括纳米晶体闪烁技术的折射率匹配的胶体分散体，孔的直径为1 μ m-1 mm，板厚可达约1 mm。闪烁体阵列与光学像素探测器（包括CCD图像增强器和胶片）的精度和空间分辨率匹配良好。 该计划可能会导致新的大面积，高精度的X射线成像仪，使替代胶片或增强胶片在医疗和牙科X射线。 它还可能导致低成本的超高精度光纤板，以及紧凑的全孔径光学和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.