Method of manufacturing radiological image conversion panel and radiological image conversion panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9851453-B2
Application number	US-201514713681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A radiological image conversion panel, having a phosphor layer containing therein a fluorescent substance which emits light through radiation exposure, is manufactured by forming the fluorescent substance into respective columnar structures on one of surfaces of a substrate to thereby obtain a phosphor layer made up of a group of columnar structures. The panel is subsequently manufactured by forming reflection films by respectively covering an outer surface of each of the columnar structures with a reflection film while leaving a gap between respective adjoining columnar structures, the reflection film being arranged to reflect light of a predetermined wavelength. In case a refractive index of the gap is lower than a refractive index of the columnar structures, the reflection films are formed of an inorganic material having a higher refractive index than the refractive index of the columnar structures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a radiological image conversion panel comprising a phosphor layer containing therein a fluorescent substance which emits light through radiation exposure, the method comprising the step of
forming the fluorescent substance into respective columnar structures on one of surfaces of a substrate to thereby obtain a phosphor layer made up of a group of columnar structures;
forming a moisture-proof film in a manner to cover an entire outer surface of each of the columnar structures, wherein the columnar structures have deliquescent characteristics, and wherein the moisture-proof film is formed of an inorganic material having a lower refractive index than the refractive index of the columnar structures; and
after forming the moisture-proof film, forming reflection films by respectively covering the entire outer surface of each of the columnar structures with a reflection film while leaving a gap between respective adjoining columnar structures, the reflection film being arranged to reflect light of a predetermined wavelength; wherein a refractive index of the gap is lower than a refractive index of the columnar structures, and the reflection films are formed of an inorganic material having a higher refractive index than the refractive index of the columnar structures.

2. The method of manufacturing a radiological image conversion panel according to claim 1 , wherein the reflection films are formed by atomic layer deposition method in the step of forming reflection films.

3. A method of manufacturing a radiological image conversion panel comprising a phosphor layer containing therein a fluorescent substance which emits light through radiation exposure, the method comprising the step of forming the fluorescent substance into respective columnar structures on one of surfaces of a substrate to thereby obtain a phosphor layer made up of a group of columnar structures, the method further comprising the step of:
forming a moisture-proof film in a manner to cover an entire outer surface of each of the columnar structures, wherein the columnar structures have deliquescent characteristics, and wherein the moisture-proof film is formed of an inorganic material having a higher refractive index than the refractive index of the reflection films; and
after forming the moisture-proof film, forming reflection films by respectively covering an entire outer surface of each of the columnar structures with a reflection film while leaving a gap between respective adjoining columnar structures, the reflection film being arranged to reflect light of a predetermined wavelength, wherein a refractive index of the gap is higher than a refractive index of the columnar structures, and the reflection films are formed of an inorganic material having a lower refractive index than the refractive index of the columnar structures.

4. A radiological image conversion panel comprising:
a substrate and a phosphor layer which is made up of a group of columnar structures of the fluorescent substance formed into respective columnar structures on one of surfaces of the substrate;
a moisture-proof film covering an outer surface of each of the columnar structures between the outer surface of each of the columnar structures and the reflection film, wherein the moisture-proof film is formed of an inorganic material having a lower refractive index than the refractive index of the reflection films; and
a reflection film which reflects light of a predetermined wavelength, the reflection film covering an entire outer surface of each of the columnar structures,
wherein a refractive index of the columnar structures is higher than a refractive index of a gap between respective adjoining columnar structures, and the reflection film is formed of an inorganic material having a higher refractive index than the refractive index of the columnar structures.

5. A radiological image conversion panel comprising:
a substrate and a phosphor layer which is made up of a group of columnar structures of the fluorescent substance formed into respective columnar structures on one of surfaces of the substrate;
a moisture-proof film covering the outer surface of each of the columnar structures between the outer surface of each of the columnar structures and the reflective film, wherein the moisture-proof film is formed of an inorganic material having a higher refractive index than the refractive index of the reflection films; and
a reflection film which reflects light of a predetermined wavelength, the reflection film being arranged to cover an entire outer surface of each of the columnar structures;
wherein a refractive index of the columnar structures is lower than a refractive index of a gap between respective adjoining columnar structures, and the reflection film is formed of an inorganic material having a lower refractive index than the refractive index of the columnar structures.

Assignees

• Ulvac Inc

Inventors

• Honda Kazuhiro
• Osono Shuji
• Zama Hideaki

Classifications

• C23C16/45525

  Atomic layer deposition [ALD] · CPC title

• G21K4/00

  Conversion screens for the conversion of the spatial distribution of X-rays or particle radiation into visible images, e.g. fluoroscopic screens (photographic processes using X-ray intensifiers G03C5/17; discharge tubes comprising luminescent screens H01J1/62; cathode ray tubes for X-ray conversion with optical output H01J31/50) · CPC title

• G01T1/2002 Primary

  Optical details, e.g. reflecting or diffusing layers · CPC title

• G21K2004/06

  with a phosphor layer · CPC title

• G01T1/202 Primary

  the detector being a crystal · CPC title