The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 08, 1988
Filed:
Jun. 08, 1987
Robert J Riedner, Waukesha, WI (US);
Erdogan O Gurmen, Milwaukee, WI (US);
Charles D Greskovich, Schenectady, NY (US);
Dominic A Cusano, Schenectady, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Milwaukee, WI (US);
Abstract
A polycrystalline ceramic scintillator is disclosed for radiographic applications which has received a controlled oxidation anneal to reduce radiation damage otherwise occuring when said scintillator is exposed to X radiation during conversion of said X radiation to the display image. The particular ceramic material treated in said manner comprises a densely sintered rare earth doped gadolinia containing metal oxide having a cubic crystal structure which has been annealed after sintering in a controlled oxygen containing atmosphere. A preferred ceramic composition comprises from about 5 mole percent up to about 50 mole percent Gd.sub.2 O.sub.3, between about 0.5 mole percent and 12 mole percent of a rare earth activator oxide selected from the group consisting of Eu.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3, and between about 0.0001 and 0.5 mole percent of at least one afterglow reducer selected from the group consisting of Pr.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Tb.sub.2 O.sub.3, and the remainder of said composition being Y.sub.2 O.sub.3. A treatment to produce said improved x-ray conversion medium is also disclosed along with radiographic imaging systems and methods employing said improved x-ray image conversion medium.