JP2008051626A - Line sensor, line sensor unit and radiation nondestructive inspection system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sensitive one-dimensional image sensor which is easily made compact and less damaged by radiation. <P>SOLUTION: The one-dimensional image sensor comprises: a scintillator 2 which extends in the incoming direction of radiation 1 passing through a specimen and has a structure made up by respectively integrating a large number of scintillator particles being grained, columnar or needle-like structures; an optical element 3 which is disposed adjacent to the scintillator 2 in the orthogonal direction to the incoming direction of the radiation 1; and a light receiving element 4 which is adjacent to the optical element 3. They are covered with a shield 6 having a slit-like opening 5. A light shielding film 7 for scintillation light generated in the scintillator 2 is attached to a predetermined part of the opening 5. An electric circuit 9 and a cable 8 for transmitting the output of an electrical signal generated by photoelectric conversion of the light receiving element 4 are mounted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a non-destructive measurement technique for a subject using an energy ray source of electromagnetic waves and radiation, and more specifically, a line sensor for detecting an energy ray transmitted through the subject, a line sensor unit, and a radiation non-destructive using the same. It relates to the inspection system.

  When radiation such as X-rays, γ-rays or neutrons passes through the subject, absorption and scattering differ depending on the type and shape of the constituent material. If this is recorded as an image as a photograph, video, digital file or the like, the damage state, change, filling state, etc. of the subject can be grasped. This is the same principle as in general examining the internal state of a human body with a radiograph. Such a method of measuring the internal state with radiation without destroying the object or sample to be examined is called radiography or non-destructive radiography.

  Usually, in radiography, a radiation image sensor including a line type sensor (referred to as a line sensor) that is a one-dimensional image sensor or an area type sensor (referred to as an area sensor) that is a two-dimensional image sensor is used. The line sensor has a high resolution and is used for medical diagnosis and industrial nondestructive inspection. This line sensor includes a scintillator arranged in a linear shape or a band shape (hereinafter referred to as a line shape) sensitive to radiation, and measures defects and foreign matters inside the subject passing between the radiation sources. For this reason, such an image sensor is often used by being incorporated in an in-line inspection system in a factory where the inspection substance always flows.

  In contrast, an area sensor generally does not have a high resolution like a line sensor, but has a higher sensitivity than a line sensor. In particular, the X-ray image intensifier (referred to as X-ray II) is extremely sensitive. For this reason, such an area sensor is suitable for nondestructive inspection in which it is essential to reduce exposure.

  As described above, the line sensor has high resolution, but it is difficult to achieve high sensitivity like the area sensor. The resolution of the line sensor can be easily improved by arranging optical sensors that receive flash light (scintillation light) emitted from scintillators arranged in a line at a high density along the line. However, on the other hand, since the scintillator is in the above-described line shape, the region irradiated with X-rays or γ-rays is narrower than that in the case of the area sensor, and the sensitivity is inevitably lowered. When the photon energy of X-rays or γ-rays increases, the reaction efficiency with the scintillator decreases as the photon energy increases, and the above-described decrease in sensitivity becomes more remarkable.

  In addition, since the technique of performing color discrimination using a plurality of types of radiation and performing non-destructive inspection (see, for example, Patent Document 1) has low sensitivity as described above, it is difficult to use the color discrimination technique in a line sensor. .

  In order to improve the sensitivity, it is conceivable to widen the region where the radiation reacts with the scintillator. However, if the reaction region is widened, the position resolution of the measurement deteriorates as the reaction region becomes larger. In this case, it is difficult to improve both sensitivity and resolution, and one of them must be sacrificed.

  Therefore, as a first method for improving sensitivity without sacrificing resolution, a method of electronic amplification after conversion to an electrical signal such as an optical sensor without widening the reaction region of the scintillator, that is, the light emitting region, has been conventionally devised and used. ing. X-ray I. The electronic amplification function is built into the image sensor.

  As a second method, for example, a CCD (Charged Coupled Device) sensor, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor, a TFT (Thin Film), which is a charge coupled device, can be used as an optical sensor capable of detecting a small amount of photons emitted by a scintillator. Some devices use semiconductor light-receiving elements such as transistor type sensors.

Moreover, as a third method for improving the sensitivity, there is a method of measuring by an integration function in which the irradiation time of radiation is lengthened (see, for example, Patent Document 2). This method uses a film, a photostimulable fluorescent sheet, or the like, so that the amount of photons of radiation passing through the subject can be accumulated and measured. An imaging plate that improves the sensitivity of X-rays, γ-rays, and neutrons is one that uses the photostimulable fluorescent sheet.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-271453 JP-A-4-290985

  However, in the first method for improving the sensitivity, the line sensor or the radiation nondestructive inspection system including the line sensor is inevitably increased in size and weight, and it is difficult to reduce the size. It was.

  And since the radiation resistance of the semiconductor element which comprises the said light receiving element is very low, the 2nd method had a big problem in the reliability of a line sensor or a radiation nondestructive inspection system provided with it.

  Further, in the third method, for example, an indirect operation such as development or reading of a film or sheet generated as a color center on a film or sheet generated by ionization of radiation such as a photostimulable fluorescent sheet is required. For this reason, this method has a big problem in the real-time property of the nondestructive inspection.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above prior art, and is a line sensor, a line sensor unit, and non-destructive radiation that is highly sensitive, easy to miniaturize, and has very little damage caused by electromagnetic waves transmitted through a subject, radiation. The purpose is to provide an inspection system.

  In order to achieve the above object, a line sensor according to the present invention is a one-dimensional image sensor that detects an electromagnetic wave or radiation transmitted through a subject, the scintillator emitting light upon receiving the electromagnetic wave or radiation, and the electromagnetic wave or An optical element that is arranged in a direction that bends from a direction in which radiation is incident on the scintillator, transmits an outgoing light from the scintillator, and an optical element that is arranged in the direction of bending and receives the outgoing light transmitted by the optical element. And a light receiving element that converts it into an electrical signal.

  The line sensor unit according to the present invention is a one-dimensional radiation detector that detects electromagnetic waves or radiation that has passed through a subject. The scintillator emits light upon receiving the electromagnetic waves or radiation, and the electromagnetic waves or radiation is the scintillator. An optical element that is arranged in the direction of bending from the direction of incidence on the light and transmits the emitted light from the scintillator, and is arranged in the direction of bending and receives the emitted light transmitted by the optical element and converts it into an electrical signal A light-receiving element that integrates the electric signal in a direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator to form a one-dimensional signal, and has an opening in a region where the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator A shield having a portion is provided to cover the optical element and the light receiving element. There.

  The radiation nondestructive inspection system according to the present invention includes a radiation source that irradiates the subject with electromagnetic waves or radiation, and a one-dimensional radiation detector that detects the electromagnetic waves or radiation transmitted through the subject. The detector is a scintillator that emits light upon receiving the electromagnetic wave or radiation, an optical element that is arranged in a direction that bends from the direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator, and that transmits the emitted light from the scintillator, and the bending A light receiving element that is arranged in a direction to receive the outgoing light transmitted by the optical element and converts it into an electrical signal, and integrates the electrical signal in a direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator to produce a one-dimensional signal. An integrating circuit, and the subject is relatively placed between the radiation source and the one-dimensional radiation detector. It has a configuration having a means for dimensional movement, the.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a line sensor, a line sensor unit, and a high-resolution radiation nondestructive inspection system that are highly sensitive and easy to miniaturize, and that are hardly damaged by electromagnetic waves and radiation that pass through the subject.

  Several preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, the same or similar parts are denoted by common reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

(First embodiment)
A line sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described first with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of a line sensor and a line sensor unit. Here, FIG. 1A is a side sectional view thereof, and FIG. 1B is a front view thereof.

  1 (a) and 1 (b), the line sensor extends in the direction (Y-axis direction) in which the radiation 1 (electromagnetic wave or radiation) transmitted through the subject (not shown) is incident as a basic configuration. A scintillator sheet 2 is provided. An optical element 3 disposed adjacent to the scintillator sheet 2 in a direction (Z-axis direction) substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the radiation 1 is incident, and a light receiving element 4 adjacent to the optical element 3 Have.

  The (transmitting) radiation 1 is radiation composed of electromagnetic waves such as ultraviolet rays, X-rays, γ-rays or neutron rays. As will be described in detail later, the scintillator sheet 2 is preferably a structure that detects the above-mentioned radiation and emits scintillation light and accumulates a large number of granular, columnar or needle-like scintillator particles (crystal scintillators).

  The optical element 3 collimates the scintillation light traveling toward the light receiving element 4 in the scintillation light, and is a structure in which a large number of optical fibers are bundled. For example, a fiber optics plate is preferable. It is. In addition, as the optical element 3, optical elements having various structures of fiber optical systems can be applied.

  The light receiving element 4 is a light receiving element having, for example, a two-dimensional array of pixels that receives the scintillation light that has passed through the optical element 3, and is preferably a semiconductor light receiving element such as a two-dimensional CCD sensor or a two-dimensional CMOS sensor. is there.

  The line sensor having the above structure is covered with a shield 6 having a slit-like opening 5 through which the radiation 1 enters the scintillator sheet 2. Here, the opening 5 is formed in a line shape in the X-axis direction as shown in FIG. 1B, and has a structure in which the radiation 1 is collimated in the Y-axis direction. This prevents the light from entering the scintillator sheet 2. The shield 6 is made of, for example, a block lead material, and protects the optical element 3 and the light receiving element 4 from exposure to the radiation 1.

  A light shielding film 7 made of, for example, a mylar film is attached to a predetermined portion of the opening 5 to prevent the scintillation light generated in the scintillator sheet 2 from being emitted to the outside due to the incidence of the radiation 1. Furthermore, a cable 8 for transmitting the output of the electric signal photoelectrically converted by the light receiving element 4 to the outside, and preferably an electric circuit is attached. Thus, the line sensor unit 10 which is a one-dimensional radiation detector as shown in FIG. 1 is configured.

  Next, a preferred structure of the scintillator sheet 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. Here, FIGS. 2 to 5 are enlarged views of the region A shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a large number of, for example, microspherical structure scintillator particles 11 are fixed and accumulated by a light-transmitting binder 12 to form, for example, a sheet-like or flat structure, as shown in FIG. The scintillator sheet 2 is formed. Here, as the binder 12, for example, a colorless and transparent silicone resin or silicone rubber is suitable. In addition, it can also be selected from materials such as methyl cellulose, polyvinyl butyral, and polyvinyl alcohol. Furthermore, synthetic resin type epoxy resin, oxetane resin, acrylic resin, phenol resin, furan resin, urethane resin, polypropylene, and the like can also be mentioned. Such a binder 12 may be in the form of a gel or powder. One or a plurality of the above materials may be mixed.

Various scintillator materials can be used as the scintillator particles 11 having a microspherical structure. Examples thereof include gadolinium oxide Gd ₂ O ₃ : Eu and gadolinium oxysulfide Gd ₂ O ₂ S: Eu, which are activated using europium as a red light emitting phosphor as an activator. Alternatively, gadolinium aluminate Gd ₃ Al ₅ O ₁₂ : Eu activated with europium, gadolinium gallate Gd ₃ Ga ₅ O ₁₂ : Eu, gadolinium vanadate GdVO ₄ : Eu, and the like can be given.

In addition, gadolinium gallate Gd ₃ Ga ₅ O ₁₂ : Ce, Cr activated by cerium and chromium, or gadolinium oxide Gd ₂ O ₃ : Tb activated by terbium, a green phosphor, gadolinium oxysulfide Gd ₂ O ₂ S: Tb. Alternatively, gadolinium oxysulfide Gd ₂ O ₂ S: Pr activated with praseodymium, gadolinium gallate Gd ₃ Ga ₅ O ₁₂ : Tb activated with terbium, gadolinium aluminate Gd ₃ Al ₅ O ₁₂ : Tb are listed as examples. It is done.

One of terbium or blue phosphor cerium activated yttrium aluminate YAlO ₃ : Ce, cerium activated yttrium silicate Y ₂ SiO ₅ : Ce, gadolinium silicate Gd ₂ SiO ₅ : Ce It is done. Alternatively, yttrium tantalate YTaO ₄ : Nb activated with niobium and barium fluoride chloride BaFCl: Eu activated with europium can be mentioned. Another example is zinc sulfide ZnS: Ag activated with silver. Other examples include calcium tungstate CaWO ₄ : Ag, cadmium tungstate CdWO ₄ : Ag, zinc tungstate ZnWO ₄ : Ag, or magnesium tungstate MgWO ₄ : Ag.

  The scintillator material may be a known inorganic crystal such as CsI, NaI or KI, organic crystal such as anthracene, plastic such as polystyrene or polyvinyltoluene. Alternatively, one or a mixture of the above materials may be used.

Further, the scintillator particles 11 having the spherical structure are not necessarily limited to a spherical shape, but may be granular. Various forms are conceivable as the particles. For example, it is an ellipsoid, a rectangular parallelepiped, or a polyhedron. Then, the scintillator ^material is coated to a ^{25mg / cm 2 ~2500mg / cm 2} , the sheet-like or plate-like structure is formed.

  By using such a scintillator sheet 2, the scintillation light 13 of FIG. 2 emitted by the radiation 1 passes through the binder 12 between the scintillator particles 11 having a granular structure, and the optical element 3 shown in FIG. It becomes easy to reach. On the other hand, without the light-transmitting binder 12, most of the scintillation light emitted from the closely arranged spherical scintillator particles 11 is shielded by the adjacent spherical scintillator particles 11. It becomes difficult to reach the optical element 3.

  In this way, in the line sensor or line sensor unit 10 shown in FIG. 1, the scintillator light 2 that emits light from the scintillator sheet 2 has very high transparency in the scintillator sheet 2. For this reason, the yield of scintillation light incident on the optical element 3 and the light receiving element 4 is improved. As a result, the sensitivity of the line sensor or line sensor unit 10 is improved.

  As the structure of the scintillator sheet 2, various other forms are possible. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, a scintillator particle 11 having a spherical structure is covered with a coating layer 14 made of light-transmitting resin or glass, and is formed into a sheet-like or flat structure, for example, as shown in FIG. A scintillator sheet 2 is formed. Here, as the coating layer 14, for example, a colorless and transparent epoxy resin or acrylic resin is suitable. In addition, it can also be selected from materials such as methyl cellulose, polyvinyl butyral, and polyvinyl alcohol.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, the scintillator sheet 2 shown in FIG. 1 is formed into a sheet-like structure in which a scintillator particle 11 having a spherical structure and a light-transmitting powdery filler 15 are mixed. Is formed. Here, as the filler 15, for example, colorless and transparent glass, epoxy resin, or acrylic resin is suitable. In addition, as in the case of the coating layer 14, it can be selected from materials such as methyl cellulose, polyvinyl butyral, and polyvinyl alcohol. Furthermore, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, calcium carbonate, barium oxide, titanium oxide, and barium sulfate can be mentioned.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, a sheet-like structure in which layers in which spherical structure scintillator particles 11 are arranged and light-transmissive light guide plates 16 are alternately stacked is formed in FIG. 1. The illustrated scintillator sheet 2 is formed. Here, as the light guide plate 16, for example, colorless and transparent glass, a flat plate of epoxy resin or acrylic resin, or a fiber is suitable. The light guide plate 16 functions as a light guide path for the scintillation light 13.

  Even in the scintillator sheet 2 described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, the yield of the scintillation light 13 incident on the light receiving element 4 in the line sensor or line sensor unit 10 is greatly improved, as in FIG. become. Then, by combining the structures described in FIGS. 2 to 5, the yield can be further increased.

  The scintillator sheet 2 may be a bundle of a large number of columnar or needle-like scintillator particles in addition to a structure that accumulates granular scintillator particles. As such a scintillator particle, for example, a CsI crystal grown in a needle shape is very suitable. Also in the case of the structure in which the columnar or needle-like scintillator particles are integrated in a bundle, the columnar (needle-like) scintillator particles are fixed by the binder 12 in the same manner as described with reference to FIG. Alternatively, a coating layer, a filler, or a light guide plate is applied in the same manner as described with reference to FIGS. By doing so, similarly, the yield of the scintillation light 13 to the light receiving element 4 in the line sensor or line sensor unit 10 is greatly improved.

  Next, the operation mechanism of the line sensor or line sensor unit 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a plan view for explaining an operation mechanism of the two-dimensional light receiving element 4.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the radiation 1 incident on the scintillator sheet 2 in a line shape in the X-axis direction propagates in the scintillator sheet 2 in the Y-axis direction that is the incident direction. As shown by 5, the scintillation light 13 is emitted. While the radiation 1 propagates through the scintillator sheet 2, the intensity I is attenuated substantially according to the equation (1).

I = I ₀ exp (−μρt) (1)

Here, I ₀ is the radiation intensity before entering the scintillator sheet 2, μ (cm ² / g) is the mass energy absorption coefficient depending on the energy of the radiation, ρ (g / cm ³ ) is the specific gravity of the transmitted scintillator, t (cm) indicates the thickness of the scintillator in the Y-axis direction through which the radiation 1 is transmitted. When the radiation 1 is γ-ray, the energy characteristic is often expressed in a single color, and therefore the mass energy absorption coefficient μ can be given by a simple calculation as the total attenuation coefficient. However, in the case of X-rays, the energy characteristics of the X-ray tube used are not monochromatic and have a fairly broad spectrum (a spectrum extending from low energy to high energy). It is given by experiment etc. as energy.

  Based on the formula (1), the dimension of the scintillator sheet 2 extending in the Y-axis direction is determined. Here, the material of the scintillator particles 11 having a granular, columnar or needle-like structure, the binder 12, the coating layer 14, the filler 15 or the light guide plate 16 constituting the scintillator sheet 2 is considered. In addition, the radiation absorption characteristics and the energy of the radiation 1 applied to the subject are taken into consideration. And if the attenuation | damping of the radiation 1 is large, the dimension of the scintillator sheet 2 will be shortened, and if the attenuation | damping is small, the said dimension will be lengthened.

  By doing in this way, the two-dimensional surface of the scintillator sheet 2 which emits scintillation light can be expanded so as to be optimized. Accordingly, the amount of scintillation light 13 that passes through the optical element 3 and reaches the surface of the two-dimensional light receiving element 4 increases. And the sensitivity with respect to the radiation of a line sensor comes to improve.

  Here, as will be described later, the scintillation light 13 detected on the surface of the two-dimensional light receiving element 4 is photoelectrically converted, and the electric signal (charge) is integrated along the Y-axis direction shown in FIG. This integration process is preferably performed by the electric circuit 9 shown in FIG. Alternatively, an integration circuit that is a circuit for the integration process may be mounted on a semiconductor light receiving element such as a two-dimensional CCD sensor or a two-dimensional CMOS sensor. In this manner, the scintillation light 13 emitted from the two-dimensional surface of the scintillator sheet 2 and received by the light receiving element 4 is processed into an electrical signal that generates a one-dimensional image.

  In the line sensor shown in FIG. 1, scintillation light emitted from the scintillator sheet 2 when irradiated with radiation 1 is collimated by the optical element 3 of the fiber optical system. However, in the scintillation light 13 shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, there is also scintillation light that is not emitted in the direction of the light receiving element 4. Further, even in the scintillation light 13 emitted toward the surface of the light receiving element 4, the light is emitted at various radiation angles. Therefore, the optical element 3 has a function of collimating the scintillation light 13 and discriminating the light emission position of the scintillator sheet 2 in the X-axis direction. In this way, the one-dimensional image generated based on the incident radiation 1 arranged one-dimensionally in the X-axis direction has an accurate and high resolution in the X-axis direction, and the resolution is greatly improved. .

  As described above, the electric signal generated by the photoelectric conversion of the scintillation light 13 is integrated in the Y-axis direction. For this reason, even if the optical element 3 is a fiber optical system structure in which the collimating ability of the scintillation light 13 is reduced in the Y-axis direction, it can be sufficiently used. However, the optical element 3 is preferably a structure that allows accurate collimation in the X-axis direction.

  Next, the photoelectric conversion of the scintillation light and its integration process will be described. The light receiving element 4 includes a light receiving element having a two-dimensional array of pixels such as a two-dimensional CCD sensor and a two-dimensional CMOS sensor shown in FIG. FIG. 6A is a plan view schematically showing how the scintillation light detected on the surface of the two-dimensional light receiving element is photoelectrically converted and the electric signals are integrated in the Y-axis direction.

The scintillation light collimated by the optical element 3 in the image sensor is received on the plane of the two-dimensional light receiving element 4. Here, in the light receiving element 4 made of, for example, a two-dimensional CCD sensor, the vertical charge transfer units V ₁ , V ₂ , V ₃ ... V _n are arranged along the Y-axis direction. Then, the horizontal charge transfer portion H ₀ is as along the X-axis direction.

Charges generated by the light receiving element 4 is transferred at a predetermined speed by two-dimensional CCD sensor the same operation through the horizontal charge transfer portion H ₀ from the vertical charge transfer portion _{V 1, V 2, V 3} ... V n The signal is amplified by an amplifier circuit. Then, signal charges (after amplification) from the vertical charge transfer units V ₁ , V ₂ , V ₃ ... V _n are integrated within a predetermined time by an integration circuit. In this way, it is processed into a one-dimensional signal in the X-axis direction. Then, a one-dimensional image of the subject is generated from this one-dimensionally integrated signal. Such operations and processes can be performed in the same manner not only with a two-dimensional CCD sensor but also with a two-dimensional CMOS sensor or TFT sensor.

  As described above, the two-dimensional light receiving element 4 receives the scintillation light emitted from the scintillator sheet 2 on a two-dimensional surface. This makes it possible to detect a greater amount of scintillation light than in the prior art. Further, by extending the scintillator sheet 2 in the incident direction of the radiation 1, a region where the scintillation light is emitted is expanded. As a result, it is possible to prevent whitening of luminance that occurs when the amount of signal charge generated by photoelectric conversion in one pixel exceeds the accumulated saturation amount. The sensitivity of the line sensor is greatly improved, and the resolution can be easily increased.

  As shown in FIG. 6B, there are various other modified examples of how the electric signals in the light receiving element 4 are integrated in the Y-axis direction. FIG. 6B is the same as FIG. 6A, and schematically shows how the scintillation light detected on the surface of the two-dimensional light receiving element is photoelectrically converted and the electric signals are integrated in the Y-axis direction. FIG.

In FIG. 6 (b), in the light receiving element 4, for example consisting of two-dimensional CCD sensor, with respect to the vertical charge transfer portion _{V 1, V 2, V 3} ... V n, integrating the vertical charge transfer portion of the signal charge There are three types of horizontal charge transfer sections for horizontal charge transfer sections H ₀ , H ₁ and H ₂ .

Here, when the energy of the radiation 1 is high, the signal charges (after amplification) from the vertical charge transfer units V ₁ , V ₂ , V ₃ ... V _n are those up to the horizontal charge transfer unit H _0. Accumulated. As the energy of the radiation 1 decreases, the signal charges (after amplification) up to the horizontal charge transfer unit H ₁ or the vertical charge transfer units V ₁ , V ₂ , V ₃ ... V _n up to the horizontal charge transfer unit H ₂ . Stuff) can be accumulated. Here, selection of the horizontal charge transfer units H ₀ , H ₁ , and H ₂ that determine the range of the pixels of the two-dimensional array to be integrated may be controlled by the electric circuit 9 described in FIG. Alternatively, this control may be performed by a control circuit embedded / integrated in the two-dimensional light receiving element 4 together with the integration circuit.

In this way, the range of sensitivity of the line sensor can be freely changed by the subject. For example, when the energy of the radiation 1 transmitted through the subject irradiated by the radiation source becomes high, the range to be integrated is set to the horizontal charge transfer unit H ₀ . Conversely, if the energy of the radiation 1 transmitted through the subject is low, the range of integration is by the horizontal charge transfer portion H _2. This is because the propagation distance of the scintillator sheet 2 usually increases as the photon energy of the radiation 1 increases.
Here, the range to be integrated is not limited to the above three types, and may be configured to be two types or four or more types.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the line sensor or the line sensor unit 10 is a one-dimensional image sensor that detects the radiation 1 transmitted through the subject, and the scintillator sheet 2 that receives the radiation 1 and emits light. have. And it has the optical element 3 and the two-dimensional light receiving element 4 in the direction substantially orthogonal from the Y-axis direction in which the radiation 1 enters the scintillator sheet 2.

  With such a configuration, the scintillation light emitted from the scintillator sheet 2 can be received on a two-dimensional surface, and more scintillation light quantity can be detected than in the case of the prior art. In addition, in one pixel of a two-dimensional CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor, it is possible to prevent whitening of luminance that occurs when the accumulated saturation amount of the charge amount generated by photoelectric conversion is exceeded. The sensitivity of the line sensor is greatly improved, and the resolution can be easily increased.

  Furthermore, the optical element 3 and the two-dimensional light receiving element 4 are separated from the incident direction of the radiation 1, and can be easily protected from irradiation of the radiation 1 through the shield 6, for example. This protection from radiation exposure can prevent deterioration due to generation of the color center of the optical element 3 and deterioration due to radiation ionization in the two-dimensional light receiving element 4 composed of a highly sensitive semiconductor light receiving element. Then, a highly reliable line sensor or line sensor unit 10 is realized.

  In the embodiment described above, the optical element 3 and the light receiving element 4 may be arranged in a direction that bends at a predetermined angle, instead of a direction that is orthogonal to the direction in which the radiation 1 is incident. Even with such an arrangement, the optical element 3 and the light receiving element 4 are arranged apart from the incident direction of the radiation 1 and are easily protected from radiation exposure. Further, it is possible to receive scintillation light from the scintillator sheet 2 on a two-dimensional surface and detect a large amount of scintillation light.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. A feature of this embodiment is that the scintillation light emitted in the direction opposite to the surface of the light receiving element 4 described above is also condensed to further improve the sensitivity of the line sensor or line sensor unit 10. Here, FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the line sensor having the above structure.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the line sensor includes a scintillator sheet 2 that extends in a direction in which the radiation 1 is incident as a basic configuration. And it has the optical element 3 arrange | positioned adjacent to the said scintillator sheet | seat 2 surface in the direction substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the radiation 1 injects, and the light receiving element 4 adjacent to this optical element 3. Furthermore, it has the light reflective member 17 arrange | positioned adjacent to the surface of the scintillator sheet 2 which opposes the said optical element 3 side.

  Here, the light reflective member 17 is formed by, for example, a plate-like metal material finished in a mirror shape in a lattice shape. Alternatively, a long and thin plate-like metal material finished to a mirror surface is arranged at a predetermined arrangement pitch. In addition, a flat plate finished to a mirror surface so as to reflect light may be used. Such a light reflective member 17 is attached to one surface of the scintillator sheet 2 and is in contact with the shielding plate 18. The shielding plate 18 is a plate made of, for example, a lead material like the shielding body 6 and has the collimating function of the radiation 1 as described in the first embodiment.

  The scintillator sheet 2, the optical element 3, and the light receiving element 4 are formed in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. An electric circuit such as the integrating circuit described with reference to FIG. 1 may be provided. Here, the operation mechanism of the line sensor of the present embodiment is the same as that described in the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the scintillation light emitted in the direction opposite to the light receiving element 4 side is reflected by the light reflecting member 17. Then, the reflected scintillation light is returned again to the scintillator sheet 2 and passes between the scintillator particles 11 having a spherical structure, for example, as described with reference to FIGS. 4 is incident. In this way, the yield of scintillation light incident on the light receiving element 4 is further improved as compared with the case of the first embodiment. The sensitivity of the line sensor or line sensor unit 10 is further improved. Furthermore, a high-resolution image of the line sensor can be obtained.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The feature of this embodiment is that, in the first embodiment, an optical element and a light receiving element are arranged on both sides of the scintillator sheet 2 and the scintillation light emitted from both sides of the scintillator sheet 2 is detected. Here, FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the line sensor having such a structure.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the line sensor includes a scintillator sheet 2 that extends in a direction in which the radiation 1 is incident as a basic configuration. The first optical element 3a is disposed in the direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the radiation 1 is incident and is adjacent to the surface of the scintillator sheet 2, and the first optical element 3a is adjacent to the first optical element 3a. Light receiving element 4a. Furthermore, a second optical element 3b disposed adjacent to the surface of the scintillator sheet 2 facing the first optical element 3a, and a second light receiving element 4b adjacent to the second optical element 3b have.

  The first optical element 3a and the second optical element 3b are each formed by a fiber optical system as described in the first embodiment. Here, different fiber optical systems or the same optical system may be used. The first light receiving element 4a and the second light receiving element 4b are formed by a two-dimensional light receiving element as described in the first embodiment. Even in this case, different two-dimensional light receiving elements or the same light receiving elements may be used. Further, an electric circuit such as the integrating circuit described in FIG. 1 may be provided. The integrating circuit in this case is processed by adding photoelectrically converted electrical signals from both the first light receiving element 4a and the second light receiving element 4b, respectively, in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. Will do.

  In the present embodiment, in the line sensor, scintillation light emitted from both surfaces of the scintillator sheet 2 can be effectively used for image formation by radiation. For this reason, the sensitivity of the line sensor or the line sensor unit 10 is further improved as compared with the second case. In addition, a high-resolution image of the line sensor can be obtained.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The feature of this embodiment is that the light receiving element 4 is formed by a plurality of one-dimensional light receiving elements arranged in parallel. Here, FIG. 9 is a side sectional view showing the main part excluding the shield 6 of the line sensor for explaining the structure. 10 and 11 are two-dimensional images of radiation nondestructive inspection using such a line sensor.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the line sensor includes a scintillator sheet 2 extending in the direction in which the radiation 1 is incident (Y-axis direction). The optical element 3 is arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the incident direction of the radiation 1 and adjacent to the surface of the scintillator sheet 2, and is in contact with the end face of the optical element 3 and arranged in parallel in the Y-axis direction. And a cylindrical lens 19 (19a, 19b, 19c). Furthermore, it has the one-dimensional light receiving element 20 (20a, 20b, 20c) arrange | positioned in the approximate focus position of the said cylindrical lens.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a light reflecting member 17 disposed adjacent to the surface of the scintillator sheet 2 facing the optical element 3 is provided. The light reflective member 17 is attached to one surface of the scintillator sheet 2 and is in contact with the shielding plate 18 as described in the second embodiment. Further, the shielding plate 18 is a plate made of, for example, a lead material like the shielding body 6 and has the collimating function of the radiation 1 as described in the first embodiment.

  As the cylindrical lens 19, a plano-convex cylindrical lens is suitable. In addition, a plano-concave cylindrical lens, an uneven cylindrical lens, or a convex-convex cylindrical lens may be used. In any case, the cylindrical lens 19 only needs to condense the scintillation light from the scintillator sheet 2 onto the one-dimensional light receiving element 20 in a line shape.

  The one-dimensional light receiving element 20 is a light receiving element having a one-dimensional array of pixels, and is preferably a semiconductor light receiving element such as a one-dimensional CCD sensor or a one-dimensional CMOS sensor. In addition, even a one-dimensional TFT type sensor can be used.

  The scintillator sheet 2 and the optical element 3 are formed in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. An electric circuit such as the integrating circuit described with reference to FIG. 1 may be provided. Alternatively, this electric circuit may be attached outside the line sensor.

  In the operation mechanism of the line sensor of the present embodiment, as described in the first embodiment, the scintillation light 13 emitted from the scintillator sheet 2 by the radiation 1 is optical including the scintillation light reflected by the light reflective member 17. Collimated at element 3. Then, for example, the light is condensed in a line through a plano-convex cylindrical lens 19. As shown in FIG. 9, the scintillation light 13 collected in a line by the cylindrical lens 19a is detected by the one-dimensional light receiving element 20a. Similarly, the scintillation light 13 collected in a line by the cylindrical lens 19b and the cylindrical lens 19c is detected by the one-dimensional light receiving element 20b and the one-dimensional light receiving element 20c, respectively.

  Then, the scintillation light 13 detected by the one-dimensional light receiving elements 20a, 20b, and 20c is photoelectrically converted, and these electric signals are integrated in the Y-axis direction. This integration process is performed by the electric circuit described above. In this way, the scintillation light 13 emitted from the two-dimensional surface of the scintillator sheet 2 and received by the plurality of parallel-arranged one-dimensional light receiving elements 20 is converted into a one-dimensional image as described in the first embodiment. It becomes an electric signal to be generated.

  Next, specific results of the radiation nondestructive inspection using the line sensor will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, two examples in which the structure of the light reflecting member 17 is changed will be described.

  In FIG. 10, the light reflective member 17 in the line sensor shown in FIG. 9 has a plate-like metal material finished in a mirror shape and is attached to one surface of the scintillator sheet 2 to be in contact with the shielding plate 18. It is formed as follows. FIG. 10A is a plan view of the light reflective member 17 attached to one surface of the scintillator sheet 2 as viewed from the shielding plate 18 side. The radiation 1 enters the scintillator sheet 2.

  The two-dimensional image of the radiation nondestructive inspection as shown in FIG. 10B is obtained by the operation of the line sensor described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 11 showing another example, the light reflective member 17 in the line sensor shown in FIG. 9 is a scintillator sheet 2 in which long and thin plate-like metal materials finished in a mirror surface are arranged at a predetermined arrangement pitch. And is formed so as to be in contact with the shielding plate 18. FIG. 11A is a plan view of the light reflecting member 17 attached to one surface of the scintillator sheet 2 when viewed from the shielding plate 18 side, and the radiation 1 is incident on the scintillator sheet 2.

  The two-dimensional image of the radiation nondestructive inspection as shown in FIG. 11B is obtained by the operation of the line sensor similar to that described in FIG. The image obtained in this case has a higher resolution than the image in the case of FIG. Here, the subject of the two-dimensional image is the same as in the case of FIG.

  In this embodiment, the two-dimensional image of the subject by radiation can be obtained using the one-dimensional light receiving element 20 as the light receiving element of the line sensor. By adopting the above-described line sensor structure, the speed of integration processing of electric signals generated by photoelectric conversion is greatly improved. Further, it is possible to realize a line sensor that is less expensive than the case of the first to third embodiments. Furthermore, as described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, the resolution of the line sensor can be improved by making the light reflective member 17 an appropriate structure.

  In the above embodiment, the main part of the line sensor may have a configuration excluding the optical element 3 or the light reflecting member 17 of the line sensor shown in FIG. Even in this case, the sensitivity and resolution equivalent to those shown in FIG. 9 can be obtained by improving the light collection yield of the scintillation light 13 by the cylindrical lens 19 described with reference to FIGS. Further, the number of one-dimensional light receiving elements 20 arranged in parallel is not limited to three as described above, and the number thereof is appropriately selected according to a desired line sensor. At the same time, the number of cylindrical lenses 19 can be changed according to the number of one-dimensional light receiving elements 20.

(Fifth embodiment)
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The feature of this embodiment resides in that the sensitivity and resolution of radiation imaging are improved by simultaneously detecting a plurality of types of radiation transmitted through the subject. Here, FIG. 12 is a side sectional view of such a line sensor.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the line sensor has a basic configuration in the direction in which the first radiation 1a (for example, X-rays) and the second radiation 1b (for example, γ-rays) transmitted through the subject (not shown) are incident. An extending scintillator sheet 2 is provided. And it has the optical element 3 arrange | positioned adjacent to the said scintillator sheet 2 and the light receiving element 4 adjacent to this optical element 3 in the direction bent from the incident direction of these radiations. These are accommodated in the shield 6 as described in the first embodiment.

  The first radiation 1a is obtained by passing through a subject (not shown) the first incident radiation 23a that has been made into a substantially parallel beam through the collimator 22 at the exit of the first radiation source 21a (for example, an X-ray source). It is. Similarly, the second radiation 1b is the one in which the second incident radiation 23b, which has been made into a substantially parallel beam through the collimator 22 at the exit of the second radiation source 21b (for example, a γ-ray source), has passed through the subject. It is. The first radiation source 21 a and the second radiation source 21 b serve as the radiation source 21.

  The scintillator sheet 2 is formed in exactly the same manner as described in the first embodiment. Here, as shown in FIG. 12, the first radiation 1a and the second radiation 1b are incident on the scintillator sheet 2 with a slight shift in angle. Therefore, the scintillator sheet 2 extends in the depth direction (Y-axis direction) and has a widened structure.

  The optical element 3 and the light receiving element 4 are formed in the same manner as described in the first or fourth embodiment. An electric circuit such as the integrating circuit described with reference to FIG. 1 may be provided. Alternatively, this electric circuit may be attached outside the line sensor. In the integrating circuit in this case, as described in the first embodiment, electrical signals photoelectrically converted from the respective scintillation lights by the first radiation 1a and the second radiation 1b are taken out separately. In this way, a two-dimensional image of the subject is obtained with two types of radiation having different energies.

  In the present embodiment, radiation imaging of a subject using radiation of different energy can be easily performed with high sensitivity. Then, it becomes possible to increase the resolution of the subject.

  In the present embodiment, a neutron source may be used as the first radiation source 21a, and an X-ray source or a γ-ray source may be used as the second radiation source 21b. In the scintillator sheet 2 in such a case, the scintillator that reacts with a neutron beam, the granular, acicular or columnar scintillator particles that react with an X-ray source or a γ-ray source, respectively, are explained with reference to FIGS. Similarly formed and mixed.

(Sixth embodiment)
Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. A feature of this embodiment is that a plurality of types of radiation transmitted through the subject are simultaneously detected to improve the sensitivity and resolution of radiation imaging, and is a modification of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of such a line sensor.

  Here, a case where neutron rays and γ rays are used as a plurality of radiations will be described as an example. The line sensor has, as a basic configuration, a first scintillator sheet that extends in the direction in which the first radiation 1a (neutron beam) and the second radiation 1b (γ-ray) transmitted through the subject (not shown) are incident. 2a and a second scintillator sheet 2b. An optical element 3a that is bent in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the first radiation 1a is incident, and is disposed adjacent to the first scintillator sheet 2a, and a light receiving element adjacent to the optical element 3a 4a. Furthermore, an optical element 3b that is bent substantially orthogonally to the direction in which the second radiation 1b is incident, and is disposed adjacent to the second scintillator sheet 2b, and a light receiving element adjacent to the optical element 3b 4b. These are accommodated in the shield 6 as described in the first embodiment.

  Here, the first scintillator sheet 2a and the second scintillator sheet 2b have the shielding member 24 inserted between them, so that scintillation light emitted from the scintillator sheets is not mixed into each optical element or light receiving element. It is arranged as follows. Here, a light reflective member may be attached to the surface of the shielding member 24.

  The line sensor includes the two integration circuits described with reference to FIG. Alternatively, such an electric circuit may be attached outside the line sensor.

  The first radiation 1a is obtained by transmitting a first incident radiation 23a that has been made into a parallel beam through the collimator 22 at the exit of the first radiation source 21a, which is a neutron source, and has passed through a subject (not shown). is there. Similarly, the second radiation 1b is obtained by transmitting the second incident radiation 23b, which has been converted into a parallel beam through the collimator 22 at the exit of the second radiation source 21b made of a γ-ray source, through the subject. . Then, the first radiation 1a enters the first scintillator sheet 2a. Similarly, the second radiation 1b is incident on the second scintillator sheet 2b.

Therefore, a scintillator containing boron (B-10), lithium (Li-6), or gadolinium (Gd) as a substance that reacts with neutron rays is used for the first scintillator sheet 2a. Here, the scintillator sheet 2a has terbium (Tb), europium (Eu), or praseodymium (Pr) as an activator, and a Gd ₂ O ₂ S material as a base material, as described with reference to FIGS. It is formed. The second scintillator sheet 2b may be the same scintillator sheet as described in the first embodiment.

  The optical elements 3a and 3b and the light receiving elements 4a and 4b are respectively formed in the same manner as described in the first or fourth embodiment.

  In the operation mechanism of the line sensor of this embodiment, in each of the integration circuits of the two integration circuits, the first light receiving element 4a and the second light receiving element 4b are respectively used in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. The electrical signals photoelectrically converted from each scintillation light are integrated separately. In this way, two-dimensional images of the subject with different types of radiation are obtained respectively.

  In this embodiment, for example, X-rays or γ-rays that penetrate a substance well and easily penetrate lighter materials are difficult to inspect a light element such as hydrogen in an object. By using it, such a light element can be detected. In addition, in the case of X-rays or γ-rays, it is difficult to identify a minute difference in the case of elements having adjacent atomic numbers such as boron (B) and carbon (C). However, these elements can be identified by using a neutron beam together. And in the radiological imaging of the subject in which different substance elements are mixed, it becomes possible to increase the resolution and improve the sensitivity.

  In the present embodiment, the different types of radiation include, in addition, measurement using β-rays and X-rays or γ-rays, measurement using β-rays and neutrons, and depending on combinations of multiple types of radiation. The configuration of the scintillator can be selected. And also when using three or more types of radiation from β rays, neutron rays, X rays, γ rays, etc., the types of scintillators can be increased accordingly.

  In addition, in the line sensor shown in FIG. 13, the first radiation source 21a and the second radiation source 21b can be effectively used as the same radiation source. In this case, a stereo image can be obtained by irradiating the subject with the same type of radiation while changing the angle.

(Seventh embodiment)
Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, a radiation nondestructive inspection system configured using the above-described line sensor or line sensor unit is shown. Here, FIG. 14 is a schematic configuration diagram of the radiation nondestructive inspection system.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the radiation nondestructive inspection system includes, as a basic configuration, a radiation source 21 disposed opposite to a subject 25 and the line sensor unit 10 described above. And it has the one-dimensional moving mechanism 26 which scans this line sensor unit 10 to a Z-axis direction. Furthermore, it has a signal / arithmetic processing unit 27 that processes an electrical signal from the line sensor unit 10 and generates information of a two-dimensional image, and an output unit 28 that outputs a two-dimensional image display or image information of the subject. ing.

  The radiation source 21 is preferably provided with a collimator 22 at its exit, and irradiates the subject 25 with incident radiation 23 such as X-rays, γ-rays, or neutrons, limiting the radiation exit region. The radiation source 21 can move in synchronization with the scanning movement of the line sensor unit 10 in the Z-axis direction.

  The one-dimensional movement mechanism 26 includes a ball screw 30 attached to a stage 29, a nut 31, a motor 32, and a drive unit 33 that drives the motor 32. The line sensor unit 10 moves one-dimensionally at a constant moving speed in the Z-axis direction or in the opposite direction by the ball screw 30.

  The signal / arithmetic processing unit 27 is connected to the line sensor unit 10 by the cable 8 and processes the integrated one-dimensional signal by the line sensor unit 10 to generate two-dimensional image information. Alternatively, the signal / arithmetic processing unit 27 may be configured to integrate signals generated based on the photoelectric conversion of the light receiving element 4 or the one-dimensional light receiving element 20 in the Y-axis direction.

  The output unit 28 displays the two-dimensional image information transmitted from the signal / arithmetic processing unit 27 as a radiographic image on a monitor. Alternatively, the output unit 28 displays numerical values related to the characteristics of the constituent substances such as the composition of the subject 25 based on the two-dimensional image information.

  In the radiation nondestructive inspection system, a line sensor as a component of the radiation non-destructive inspection system efficiently separates and measures signals when the radiation range is long or when the radiation type is different in the reaction between the scintillator and the radiation. In addition, the same radiation can be measured simultaneously with different energy differences.

  The measurement sensitivity of the radiation nondestructive inspection system can be greatly improved by integrating the signals from the pixels of the one-dimensional or two-dimensional array of CCD or CMOS elements in the radiation incident direction as described above. Therefore, this radiation nondestructive inspection system does not require an electronic amplification mechanism such as an image intensifier, and its size and weight can be easily reduced. For example, it can be used as a nondestructive inspection system in a wide range of fields such as CT using X-rays, food inspection, and baggage inspection.

  Further, damage to the line sensor or the like due to electromagnetic waves or radiation transmitted through the subject is greatly reduced, and noise generated by radiation irradiation is reduced. For this reason, a highly reliable radiation nondestructive inspection system can be realized.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the subject 25 is fixed and the line sensor unit 10 and the radiation source 21 move one-dimensionally in synchronization is described. Conversely, the radiation nondestructive inspection system may be configured such that the line sensor unit 10 and the radiation source 21 are fixed and the subject 25 moves one-dimensionally.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes in specific embodiments without departing from the technical idea and technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, a configuration of a line sensor or a line sensor unit in which the features described in the first to sixth embodiments are arbitrarily combined may be used.

  In the above embodiment, the scintillator used in the line sensor or the line sensor unit is described as having a structure in which a large number of granular, columnar, or needle-like scintillator particles are integrated in a sheet shape or a flat plate shape. . The present invention is not limited to the sheet-like or flat plate-like structure, and may be a structure such as a cube, a rectangular parallelepiped, or a polyhedron. These structures may be appropriately stacked.

  In the embodiment described above, the case of an image sensor using radiation such as X-rays, γ-rays, or neutrons is mainly described. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to a one-dimensional image sensor using ultraviolet rays or low-frequency electromagnetic waves.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the emitted light transmitted through the said optical system from the scintillator sheet | seat 2 may be classified according to a color, and the electric signal produced | generated by the emitted light classified by color may be integrated. In this case, a color filter is provided between the scintillator sheet 2 and the optical element or between the optical elements.

  In the sixth embodiment, a color discrimination method may be used in the line sensor. When the above color discrimination method is used, a blue light emitting fluorescent material is added to the first scintillator sheet 2a. As this blue light emitting fluorescent material, for example, zinc sulfide ZnS: Ag activated with silver is used as a fluorescent material. In this way, the neutron beam causes a (n, α) reaction with lithium, boron or the like, and the blue (light emitting) fluorescent material is colored blue by the alpha (α) ray generated thereby. Further, a red light-emitting fluorescent material is added to the second scintillator sheet 2b, so that scintillation light colored red is emitted.

  Also in the fifth embodiment, the color discrimination method can be used in the line sensor. In this case, the scintillator that reacts with the neutron beam and the scintillator that reacts with the X-ray source or the γ-ray source are formed to be mixed in the scintillator sheet 2.

It is a typical lineblock diagram of a line sensor and a line sensor unit concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention, and (a) is a sectional side view and (b) is a front view. The partial enlarged view of the scintillator sheet of one Embodiment of this invention. The partial enlarged view of the scintillator sheet | seat of another embodiment of this invention. The partially enlarged view of the scintillator sheet of another embodiment of this invention. The partially enlarged view of the scintillator sheet of another embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows one Embodiment of the operation mechanism of the two-dimensional light receiving element used for the line sensor of this invention, and a line sensor unit, (a) is a top view of a light receiving element, (b) is the light receiving element in a modification. FIG. The sectional side view of the line sensor which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The sectional side view of the line sensor which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The sectional side view of the line sensor which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the result of the radiation nondestructive test | inspection using the line sensor which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a top view of the scintillator sheet | seat which has a light reflection member, (b) is a non-radiation thing. 2D image diagram of destructive inspection. It is a figure which shows another result of the radiation nondestructive inspection using the line sensor which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a top view of the scintillator sheet | seat which has another light reflective member, (b) ) Is a two-dimensional image of another radiation nondestructive inspection. The sectional side view of the line sensor which concerns on the 5th Embodiment of this invention. The sectional side view of the line sensor which concerns on the 6th Embodiment of this invention. The typical block diagram of the radiation nondestructive inspection system which concerns on Embodiment 7 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... (Transmission) radiation, 1a ... 1st radiation, 1b ... 2nd radiation, 2 ... Scintillator sheet, 2a ... 1st scintillator sheet, 2b ... 2nd scintillator sheet, 3 ... Optical element, 3a ... 1st DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 optical element, 3b ... 2nd optical element, 4 ... Light receiving element, 4a ... 1st light receiving element, 4b ... 2nd light receiving element, 5 ... Opening part, 6 ... Shielding body, 7 ... Light shielding film, 8 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Cable, 9 ... Electric circuit, 10 ... Line sensor unit, 11 ... Scintillator particle | grains, 12 ... Binder, 13 ... Scintillation light, 14 ... Coating layer, 15 ... Filler, 16 ... Light guide plate, 17 ... Light reflecting member, 18 ... shielding plate, 19, 19a, 19b, 19c ... cylindrical lens, 20, 20a, 20b, 20c ... one-dimensional light receiving element, 21 ... radiation source, 21a ... first radiation source, 21b ... second radiation Source, 22 ... collimator, 23 ... incident radiation, 23a ... first incident radiation, 23b ... second incident radiation, 24 ... shielding member, 25 ... subject, 26 ... one-dimensional movement mechanism, 27 ... signal / calculation processing Part, 28 ... output part, 29 ... stage, 30 ... ball screw, 31 ... nut, 32 ... motor, 33 ... drive unit, V ₁ , V ₂ , V ₃ ... V _n ... vertical charge transfer part, H ₀ , H ₁ , H ₂ Horizontal charge transfer unit

Claims (15)

A one-dimensional image sensor for detecting electromagnetic waves or radiation transmitted through a subject,
A scintillator that emits light upon receiving the electromagnetic wave or radiation;
An optical element that is arranged in a direction that bends from a direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator, and transmits light emitted from the scintillator;
A light receiving element that is arranged in the bending direction and receives the emitted light transmitted by the optical element and converts it into an electrical signal;
A line sensor comprising:   The line sensor according to claim 1, wherein the bending direction is a direction substantially orthogonal to a direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator.   The scintillator is constituted by a structure in which a plurality of granular, needle-like or columnar scintillator particles are integrated, and is provided so as to extend in a direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator. Item 3. The line sensor according to Item 1 or 2.   4. The line sensor according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of granular, needle-like or columnar scintillator particles are fixed by a light-transmitting binder to form the structure.   The line sensor according to claim 3, wherein the granular, needle-like or columnar scintillator particles are each coated with a light-transmitting coating layer.   6. The line sensor according to claim 3, wherein the scintillator of the structure is a mixture of the granular, needle-like or columnar scintillator particles and light-transmitting powder.   The light guide member for guiding the emitted light from the granular, needle-like or columnar scintillator particles to the optical element is disposed in the scintillator of the structure. The described line sensor.   The light-receiving element is a two-dimensional light-receiving element having a two-dimensional array of pixels, and outputs an electric signal generated by the received emitted light as a one-dimensional signal obtained by integrating the electromagnetic wave or radiation in the direction of incidence on the scintillator. The line sensor according to claim 1, wherein the line sensor is a line sensor.   The light receiving element is formed by arranging a plurality of one-dimensional light receiving elements having pixels in a one-dimensional array in parallel, and each one-dimensional light receiving element receives light emitted from the scintillator via a cylindrical lens. The line sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the electrical signal generated by the emitted light is integrated and output over the plurality of one-dimensional light receiving elements.   The optical element is disposed on one surface side of the scintillator of the structure, and a light reflecting member is disposed on the other surface side of the structure facing the one surface side. The line sensor as described in any one.   The line sensor according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the optical element and the light receiving element are respectively disposed on both sides of the scintillator of the structure facing each other.   The scintillator of the structure includes plural kinds of granular, needle-like or columnar scintillator particles that react differently to electromagnetic waves or radiation, and is attached so that the thickness thereof increases in the incident direction of the electromagnetic waves or radiation. The line sensor according to claim 3, wherein the line sensor is provided.   The line sensor according to claim 1, wherein the line sensor includes two sets of scintillators, and the scintillator includes the optical element and the light receiving element. A one-dimensional radiation detector for detecting electromagnetic waves or radiation transmitted through a subject,
A scintillator that emits light upon receiving the electromagnetic wave or radiation;
An optical element that is arranged in a direction that bends from a direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator, and transmits light emitted from the scintillator;
A light receiving element that is arranged in the bending direction and receives the emitted light transmitted by the optical element and converts it into an electrical signal;
An integration circuit that integrates the electric signal in a direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator to form a one-dimensional signal;
A line sensor unit, wherein a shield having an opening in a region where the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator is provided so as to cover the optical element and the light receiving element. A radiation source that irradiates the subject with electromagnetic waves or radiation, and a one-dimensional radiation detector that detects the electromagnetic waves or radiation transmitted through the subject,
The one-dimensional radiation detector includes a scintillator that emits light upon receiving the electromagnetic wave or radiation, and an optical element that is disposed in a direction that bends from a direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator and transmits light emitted from the scintillator. And a light receiving element that is arranged in the bending direction and receives the emitted light transmitted by the optical element and converts it into an electrical signal,
An integration circuit that integrates the electric signal in a direction in which the electromagnetic wave or radiation is incident on the scintillator to form a one-dimensional signal;
Means for relatively one-dimensionally moving the subject between the radiation source and the one-dimensional radiation detector;
A radiation nondestructive inspection system characterized by comprising:

Images