Coatings for digital detectors

1. A scintillator screen comprising:

a support layer;

a scintillator layer directly disposed on the support layer, the scintillator layer comprised of a phosphor dispersed in a polymeric binder;

a barrier layer disposed on the scintillator layer, the barrier layer comprising a non-moisture absorbing polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose diacetate, ethylene vinyl acetate and polyvinyl butyraldehyde, wherein the barrier layer has a thickness of less than 1 micron; and

an antistatic layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the antistatic layer being disposed on the barrier layer, the antistatic layer comprising a poly(3,4-ethylenedixythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) dispersed in a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyester and a polyurethane;

wherein a transparency of the combination antistatic and barrier layers together is greater than 95 percent at a wavelength of from about 400 nm to 600 nm; and

wherein a surface resistivity of the scintillator screen at the outer surface of the antistatic layer is less than 10 10 ohms/square.

2. The screen of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer has a transparency of greater than 94 percent at a wavelength of from about 400 nm to 600 nm.

3. The screen of claim 1 , wherein the antistatic layer has a transparency of greater than 94 percent at a wavelength of from about 400 nm to 600 nm.

4. The screen of claim 1 , wherein the phosphor is selected from the group consisting of Gd 2 O 2 S:Tb, Gd 2 O 2 S:Eu, Gd 2 O 3 :Eu, La 2 O 2 S:Tb, La 2 O 2 S, Y 2 O 2 S:Tb, CsI:Tl, CsI:Na, CsBr:Tl, CaWO 4 , CaWO 4 :Tb, BaFBr:Eu, BaFCl:Eu, BaSO 4 :Eu, BaSrSO 4 , BaPbSO 4 , BaAl 12 O 19 :Mn, BaMgAl 10 O 17 :Eu, Zn 2 SiO 4 :Mn, (Zn,Cd)S:Ag, LaOBr, LaOBr:Tm, Lu 2 O 2 S:Eu, Lu 2 O 2 S:Tb, LuTaO 4 , HfO 2 :Ti, HfGeO 4 :Ti, YTaO 4 , YTaO 4 :Gd, YTaO 4 :Nb, Y 2 O 3 :Eu, YBO 3 :Eu, YBO 3 :Tb, and (Y,Gd)BO 3 :Eu.

5. The screen of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of: sodium o-sulfobenzaldehyde acetal of poly(vinyl alcohol); chloro-sulfonated poly(ethylene); bisphenol poly(carbonates);

copolymers of bisphenol carbonates and poly(alkylene oxides); aqueous ethanol soluble nylons; poly(alkyl acrylates and methacrylates): copolymers of poly(alkyl acrylates and methacrylates); poly(vinyl butyral) and poly(urethane) elastomers.

6. The screen of claim 1 , wherein the phosphor comprises particles having a size of from about 0.5 μm to about 40 μm, wherein a phosphor to polymeric binder ratio is from about 7:1 to about 35:1.

7. The screen of claim 1 , wherein the antistatic layer has thickness of from about 0.1 μm to about 0.3 μm.

8. A digital radiography panel comprising:

a scintillator screen comprising:

(a) a support layer;

(b) a phosphor layer comprised of a scintillator dispersed in a polymeric binder, and directly disposed on the support layer;

(c) a non-phosphor layer having a transparency of greater than 95 percent at a wavelength of from about 400 nm to 600 nm, and comprised of:

(i) a barrier layer disposed on the phosphor layer comprising a non-moisture absorbing polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose diacetate, ethylene vinyl acetate and polyvinyl butyraldehyde; and

(ii) an antistatic layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the antistatic layer being disposed on the barrier layer, the antistatic layer comprising a poly(3,4-ethylenedixythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) dispersed in a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyester and a polyurethane, wherein a surface resistivity of the scintillator screen at the outer surface of the antistatic layer is less than 10 10 ohms/square; and

a flat panel detector disposed on the outer surface of the antistatic layer.

9. The panel of claim 8 , wherein the barrier layer has a transparency of greater than 95 percent at a wavelength of from about 400 nm to 600 nm.

10. The panel of claim 8 , wherein the antistatic layer has a transparency of greater than 94 percent at a wavelength of from about 400 nm to 600 nm.

11. The panel of claim 8 , wherein the antistatic layer has a surface resistivity less than 10 5 ohms/square.

12. The panel of claim 8 , wherein the phosphor is selected from the group consisting of Gd 2 O 2 S:Tb, Gd 2 O 2 S:Eu, Gd 2 O 3 :Eu, La 2 O 2 S:Tb, La 2 O 2 S, Y 2 O 2 S:Tb, CsI:Tl, CsI:Na, CsBr:Tl, NaI:Tl, CaWO 4 , CaWO 4 :Tb, BaFBr:Eu, BaFCl:Eu, BaSO 4 :Eu, BaSrSO 4 , BaPbSO 4 , BaAl 12 O 19 :Mn, BaMgAl 10 O 17 :Eu, Zn 2 SiO 4 :Mn, (Zn,Cd)S:Ag, LaOBr, LaOBr:Tm, Lu 2 O 2 S:Eu, Lu 2 O 2 S:Tb, LuTaO 4 , HfO 2 :Ti, HfGeO 4 :Ti, YTaO 4 , YTaO 4 :Gd, YTaO 4 :Nb, Y 2 O 3 :Eu, YBO 3 :Eu, YBO 3 :Tb, and (Y,Gd)BO 3 :Eu, and wherein the polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of: sodium o-sulfobenzaldehyde acetal of poly(vinyl alcohol);

chloro-sulfonated poly(ethylene); bisphenol poly(carbonates); copolymers of bisphenol carbonates and poly(alkylene oxides); aqueous ethanol soluble nylons;

poly(alkyl acrylates and methacrylates): copolymers of poly(alkyl acrylates and methacrylates); poly(vinyl butyral) and poly(urethane) elastomers.

13. The panel of claim 8 , further comprising an adhesive layer disposed between the antistatic layer and the flat panel detector.

14. The panel of claim 8 , wherein:

the barrier layer has a thickness of less than 1 micron;

the scintillator comprises particles having a size of from about 0.5 μm to about 40 μm; and

the antistatic layer has thickness of from about 0.1 μm to about 0.3 μm.

15. A scintillator screen comprising:

a support layer;

a phosphor layer comprised of a phosphor dispersed in a polymeric binder, and directly disposed on the support layer,

a barrier layer disposed on the phosphor layer and comprising a non-moisture absorbing polymer; and

an antistatic layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the antistatic layer being disposed on the barrier layer, the antistatic layer comprising a poly(3,4-ethylenedixythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) dispersed in a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyester and a polyurethane;

wherein the antistatic layer and the barrier layer together have a combined transparency of greater than 95 percent at a wavelength of from about 400 nm to 600 nm; and

wherein a surface resistivity of the scintillator screen at the outer surface of the antistatic layer is less than 10 10 ohms/square.

16. The screen of claim 15 , wherein:

the barrier layer has a thickness of less than 1 micron;

the phosphor layer comprises particles having a size of from about 0.5 μm to about 40 μm;

a phosphor to polymeric binder ratio is from about 7:1 to about 35:1; and

the antistatic layer has thickness of from about 0.1 μm to about 0.3 μm.