Liberty Technologies, Inc.

The Institute for Radiological Image Sciences, Inc.

Agfa Gevaert Nv

Peter K Soltani

Fauzia Jamil

Michael D Neary

Mark F McAnally

Nicholas C Ipri

Ronald Jay Geil, Sr

A phosphor powder for producing a high resolution phosphor screen and a phosphor screen are provided. The phosphor screen comprises a substrate, an infrared-absorbing layer, and a phosphor layer coated on the infrared-absorbing layer, wherein the phosphor layer comprises a phosphor powder in which a substantial amount of particles in the powder have a particle size as measured in the longest dimension of greater than 0 and less than about 5 microns. The phosphor screen may also comprise a black, infrared-absorbing substrate with the phosphor layer coated on the substrate. The phosphor powder is formed by preparing a phosphor composition, sintering the composition to form ingots, grinding the ingots to form a powder wherein a substantial amount of particles in the powder have a particle size of greater than 0 and less than about 5 microns, reactivating the powder in an inert atmosphere to a temperature of from about 500&deg; C. to about 550&deg; C., preparing a suspension of the powder and a nonreactive organic solvent, mixing the suspension to separate particles of the powder which partially fuse during reactivation and to break up large agglomerates of the powder in the suspension, decanting the suspension to at least partially separate the nonreactive inorganic solvent and the powder, and drying the powder to form the phosphor powder.

Phosphor screen

Making a phosphor screen by forming a phosphor powder that incorporates strontium, is made up of particles having a long dimension of less than about 5 microns and having superior response time. Slurrying the phosphor powder with a suitable solvent, dispersant, plasticizer and binder. Coating a suitable substate with an infra red absorbing layer. Coating the phosphor containing slurry onto the infra red absorbing layer. Drying the thus produced screen.

Method of producing a phosphor screen

Methods and apparatus for rapidly removing stored energy from (i.e., erasing) a reusable photostimulable storage phosphor screen use a first source of electromagnetic radiation which primarily outputs a wavelength or wavelengths of about 577 nanometers to about 597 nanometers, and a second source of electromagnetic radiation which primarily outputs a wavelength or wavelengths in the infrared region. Exposure to the second source of radiation may occur either after, or simultaneously with, exposure to the first source of radiation. During exposure to the first source of electromagnetic energy, ultraviolet radiation is filtered out so that none reaches the phosphor screen, or a first source is selected which does not output substantially any ultraviolet radiation. The first source of electromagnetic radiation erases the phosphor screen to a homogenized quasi-erased state. The second source of electromagnetic radiation erases the phosphor screen from the homogenized quasi-erased state to a fully or nearly fully erased state. The first source of electromagnetic radiation may be a sodium vapor lamp which also functions to remove residual images. Residual images may also be removed by exposing the phosphor screen to a source of electromagnetic radiation which outputs a wavelength or wavelengths including at least one of infrared and near-infrared, and a reduced amount of charging wavelengths. The process may include filtering any visible light having a wavelength below red light emitted from the second source of radiation.

Method and apparatus for accelerated removal of energy and residual

A phosphor powder for producing a high resolution phosphor screen and a phosphor screen are provided. The phosphor screen comprises a substrate, an infrared-absorbing layer, and a phosphor layer coated on the infrared-absorbing layer, wherein the phosphor layer comprises a phosphor powder in which a substantial amount of particles in the powder have a particle size as measured in the longest dimension of greater than 0 and less than about 5 microns. The phosphor screen may also comprise a black, infrared-absorbing substrate with the phosphor layer coated on the substrate. The phosphor powder is formed by preparing a phosphor composition, sintering the composition to form ingots, grinding the ingots to form a powder wherein a substantial amount of particles in the powder have a particle size of greater than 0 and less than about 5 microns, reactivating the powder in an inert atmosphere to a temperature of from about 500.degree. C. to about 550.degree. C., preparing a suspension of the powder and a nonreactive organic solvent, mixing the suspension to separate particles of the powder which partially fuse during reactivation and to break up large agglomerates of the powder in the suspension, decanting the suspension to at least partially separate the nonreactive inorganic solvent and the powder, and drying the powder to form the phosphor powder.

Phosphor powder

Phosphor screen, method of producing the same, and method for preparing

An opaque, generally flat flexible cassette is provided which receives and holds a storage phosphor screen while the screen is radiographed. The cassette has sufficient flexibility to be wrapped around an object to be radiographed. The cassette has a light-tight sealing device at or near its open end. The sealing device allows the cassette to be placed in either an open position for receiving or discharging the storage phosphor screen, or a closed position for holding the imaging storage medium therein during radiographing and transport. The cassette is designed so that the storage phosphor screen is discharged from the cassette without being physically handled by a person or being exposed to ambient light.

Growing community of inventors

West Chester, PA, United States of America

Peter K Soltani