Quantum dot digital radiographic detection system
A digital quantum dot radiographic detection system described herein includes: a scintillation subsystem 202 and a semiconductor light detection subsystem 200, 200 ′ (including a plurality of quantum dot image sensors 200 a, 200 b ). In a first preferred digital quantum dot radiographic detection system, the plurality of quantum dot image sensors 200 is in substantially direct contact with the scintillation subsystem 202 . In a second preferred digital quantum dot radiographic detection system, the scintillation subsystem has a plurality of discrete scintillation packets 212 a, 212 b , at least one of the discrete scintillation packets communicating with at least one of the quantum dot image sensors. The quantum dot image sensors 200 may be associated with semiconductor substrate 210 made from materials such as silicon (and variations thereof) or graphene. An optically opaque layer 220 is preferably positioned between the discrete scintillation packets, 212 a, 212 b.
1. A digital quantum dot radiographic detection system comprising:
(a) a scintillation subsystem that converts ionizing radiation into light, said scintillation subsystem having a plurality of discrete scintillation packets;
(b) a semiconductor light detection subsystem having a plurality of quantum dot image sensors, said quantum dot image sensors detecting said light from said scintillation subsystem and converting said light into at least one electronic signal; and
(c) an optically opaque layer being positioned between said discrete scintillation packets.
2. The system of claim 1 , at least one of said discrete scintillation packets communicating with at least one quantum dot image sensors.
3. The system of claim 1 , said semiconductor light detection subsystem further having a semiconductor substrate.
4. The system of claim 1 , said semiconductor light detection subsystem further having a semiconductor substrate made from graphene.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said scintillation subsystem converts X-ray ionizing radiation into light.
6. The system of claim 1 , said plurality of discrete scintillation packets being heterogeneous in that there are a plurality of different types of discrete scintillation packets.
7. The system of claim 1 , said plurality of discrete scintillation packets being heterogeneous in that there are a plurality of different types of discrete scintillation packets.
8. The system of claim 1 further comprising said optically opaque lateral layer having optical retroflectors positioned opposite said quantum dot image sensors.
9. The system of claim 1 , said plurality of discrete scintillation packets being heterogeneous in that there are a plurality of different types of discrete scintillation packets, and said optically opaque lateral layer having optical retroflectors positioned opposite said quantum dot image sensors.
10. The system of claim 1 , said optically opaque lateral layer having optical retroflectors positioned opposite said quantum dot image sensors.
11. The system of claim 1 , said plurality of discrete scintillation packets being heterogeneous in that there are a plurality of different types of discrete scintillation packets, an optically opaque layer being positioned between said discrete scintillation packets, and an optically opaque lateral layer with optical retroflectors positioned opposite said quantum dot image sensors.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein said scintillation subsystem is positioned between an X-ray source and said plurality of quantum dot image sensors.
13. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
(a) an image processing subsystem having a computational device capable of receiving said at least one electronic signal and storing said at least one electronic signal on an electronic medium; and
(b) said computational device capable of retrieving and displaying said at least one electronic signal at a concurrent or later time as a diagnostic image.
14. The system of claim 1 , at least one of said discrete scintillation packets being in substantially direct contact with and in communication with an associated at least one of said quantum dot image sensors.
15. The system of claim 1 , at least one of said discrete scintillation packets in substantially direct contact with and in communication with an associated at least one of said quantum dot image sensors, said plurality of discrete scintillation packets being heterogeneous in that there are a plurality of different types of discrete scintillation packets, each said quantum dot image sensor being optimized to a peak output of a scintillation chemistry of its associated discrete scintillation packet.
16. The system of claim 1 , at least one of said discrete scintillation packets in substantially direct contact with and in communication with an associated at least one of said quantum dot image sensors, said plurality of discrete scintillation packets being heterogeneous in that there are a plurality of different types of discrete scintillation packets, each said quantum dot image sensor being optimized to a peak output of a scintillation chemistry of its associated discrete scintillation packet, wherein different types of optimized quantum dot image sensor and associated discrete scintillation packet combinations provide images having a high resolution and contrast.
17. A digital quantum dot radiographic detection system comprising:
(a) a scintillation subsystem having a plurality of discrete scintillation packets;
(b) a semiconductor light detection subsystem having a plurality of quantum dot image sensors; and
(c) an optically opaque layer being positioned between said discrete scintillation packets.
18. The system of claim 17 , at least one of said discrete scintillation packets communicating with at least one of said quantum dot image sensors.
19. The system of claim 17 , at least one of said discrete scintillation packets being in substantially direct contact with and in communication with an associated at least one of said quantum dot image sensors.
20. The system of claim 17 , said optically opaque lateral layer having optical retroflectors positioned opposite said quantum dot image sensors.