Manufacturing a collimator element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10869641-B2
Application number	US-201916561206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2019
Priority date	Sep 11, 2018
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

A method is disclosed for manufacturing a collimator element. The method includes applying a lithographic coating layer. The lithographic coating layer is then exposed using a grid mask. Exposure regions then correspond to a structure of the collimator element. Here, the structure of the collimator element is aligned on a common focus. The lithographic coating layer is then developed to give a pre-structure of the collimator element. Further, an X-ray absorbing layer is applied via cathode sputtering. At least the X-ray absorbing layer is then removed from regions of the pre-structure. A collimator element, a method for manufacturing a scattered-radiation collimator, a scattered-radiation collimator, a radiation detector and a CT device are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a collimator element, comprising at least the following steps:
applying a lithographic coating layer;
exposing the lithographic coating layer in exposure regions corresponding to a structure of the collimator element, the structure of the collimator element being aligned on a common focus;
developing the lithographic coating layer to provide a pre-structure of the collimator element;
applying an X-ray absorbing layer via cathode sputtering; and
removing at least the X-ray absorbing layer from regions of the pre-structure, wherein during a repetition of the steps of the method, exposure regions offset from at least one previous exposure region are exposed, resulting in formation of a stepped structure of the collimator element, aligned on a common focus.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposed regions are aligned on the common focus via a grid arrangement including a number of grid masks.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one grid mask of the grid arrangement is exposed using a point light.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposed regions are aligned on the common focus via a grid mask, the grid mask including shadowing regions including a shadowing width of less than 20 μm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposed regions are aligned on the common focus via a grid mask, the grid mask including shadowing regions, spaced by an exposure width of at most 400 μm.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray absorbing layer includes tungsten as a constituent part.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray absorbing layer is made of pure tungsten.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposed regions are aligned on the common focus via a grid mask, the grid mask including shadowing regions including a shadowing width of less than 10 μm.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposed regions are aligned on the common focus via a grid mask, the grid mask including shadowing regions, spaced by an exposure width of at most 100 μm.

10. A collimator element, manufactured by at least:
applying a lithographic coating layer;
exposing the lithographic coating layer in exposure regions corresponding to a structure of the collimator element, the structure of the collimator element being aligned on a common focus;
developing the lithographic coating layer to provide a pre-structure of the collimator element;
applying an X-ray absorbing layer via cathode sputtering; and
removing at least the X-ray absorbing layer from regions of the pre-structure, wherein during a repetition of the applying of the lithographic coating layer, exposing, developing, applying the X-ray absorbing layer, and removing, exposure regions offset from at least one previous exposure region are exposed, resulting in formation of a stepped structure of the collimator element, aligned on a common focus.

11. The collimator element of claim 10 , including a number of X-ray absorbing layers structured via lithography and, aligned on a common focus, and formed from pure tungsten.

12. The collimator element of claim 10 , including grid walls, a wall thickness of the grid walls being less than or equal to 100 μm.

13. The collimator element of claim 12 , wherein the grid walls are spaced by a shaft width of at most 400 μm.

14. A method for manufacturing a scattered-radiation collimator, comprising:
providing a number of collimator elements, each of the collimator elements being manufactured by at least
applying a lithographic coating layer,
exposing the lithographic coating layer in exposure regions corresponding to a structure of the collimator element, the structure of the collimator element being aligned on a common focus,
developing the lithographic coating layer to provide a pre-structure of the collimator element;
applying an X-ray absorbing layer via cathode sputtering, and
removing at least the X-ray absorbing layer from regions of the pre-structure, wherein during a repetition of the applying of the lithographic coating layer, exposing, developing, applying the X-ray absorbing layer, and removing, exposure regions offset from at least one previous exposure region are exposed, resulting in formation of a stepped structure of the collimator element, aligned on a common focus; and

joining the number of collimator elements together, to form the scattered-radiation collimator.

15. The scattered-radiation collimator, including the number of collimator elements joined, of claim 14 .

16. A radiation detector, comprising the scattered-radiation collimator of claim 15 .

17. A CT device comprising the radiation detector of claim 16 .

18. A scattered-radiation collimator, manufactured by at least:
providing a number of collimator elements, each of the collimator elements being manufactured by at least
applying a lithographic coating layer,
exposing the lithographic coating layer in exposure regions corresponding to a structure of the collimator element, the structure of the collimator element being aligned on a common focus,
developing the lithographic coating layer to provide a pre-structure of the collimator element;
applying an X-ray absorbing layer via cathode sputtering, and
removing at least the X-ray absorbing layer from regions of the pre-structure, wherein during a repetition of the applying of the lithographic coating layer, exposing, developing, applying the X-ray absorbing layer, and removing, exposure regions offset from at least one previous exposure region are exposed, resulting in formation of a stepped structure of the collimator element, aligned on a common focus; and

joining the number of collimator elements together, to form the scattered-radiation collimator.

19. The scattered-radiation collimator, including the number of collimator elements joined, of claim 18 .

20. A radiation detector, comprising the scattered-radiation collimator of claim 19 .

21. A CT device comprising the radiation detector of claim 20 .

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Inventors

• Ergler Thorsten
• Krstic Vojislav

Classifications

• A61B6/4291

  the detector being combined with a grid or grating · CPC title

• A61B6/4241

  using energy resolving detectors, e.g. photon counting · CPC title

• A61B6/032

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/06 Primary

  Diaphragms · CPC title

• G03F7/00

  Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor (using photoresist structures for special production processes, see the relevant places, e.g. B44C, H10P76/00, H05K) · CPC title