High speed scanner for reading latent images in storage phosphors

Abstract

Picture signals representing a stored image stored in an image storage medium are generated. A stimulation beam having a monotonic non-uniform intensity distribution and a sensor array including a rectangular array of pixels each generating an image signal are provided. Each pixel generates in response to light. An image of an object area of the stored image is formed on the sensor array to define in the object area a fixel corresponding to each pixel of the sensor array. The object area is a small fraction of the area of the stored image. The stored image is stimulated by forming a stimulation spot substantially centered in the object area of the stored image using the stimulation beam. The stored image is scanned with the object area and the stimulation spot. This defines fixels in the stored image and generates a picture signal for each fixel. The picture signal for each fixel represents the accumulation of light emitted by the fixel in response to the stimulation spot. In scanning the stored image, the position of the object area and stimulation spot is successively changed relative to the stored image along a first axis to scan a slice of the stored image. Successive slices of the stored image are scanned along a second axis, substantially orthogonal to the first axis. At each position of the object area in the stored image, the sensor array is controlled to generate an image signal in response to the light emitted by each fixel in the object area. Finally, for each fixel in the stored image, all the image signals generated by the sensor array are accumulated to generate the picture signal for the fixel.