University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
发明人:
Thomas K. Lewellen,William C. J. Hunter,Robert S. Miyaoka,Lawrence MacDonald
申请号：
US14692617
公开号：
US09442198B2
申请日:
2015.04.21
申请国别(地区):
US
年份:
2016
代理人:
摘要：
A radiation detector is disclosed that includes a scintillation crystal and a plurality of photodetectors positioned to detect low-energy scintillation photons generated within the scintillation crystal. The scintillation crystals are processed using subsurface laser engraving to generate point-like defects within the crystal to alter the path of the scintillation photons. In one embodiment, the defects define a plurality of boundaries within a monolithic crystal to delineate individual detector elements. In another embodiment, the defects define a depth-of-interaction boundary that varies longitudinally to vary the amount of light shared by neighboring portions of the crystal. In another embodiment the defects are evenly distributed to reduce the lateral spread of light from a scintillation event. Two or more of these different aspects may be combined in a single scintillation crystal. Additionally, or alternatively, similar SSLE defects may be produced in other light-guiding elements of the radiation detector.
