Patent ID: 6501066
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: G01T

Abstract:
A glass fibre drum scanner comprising:a glass fibre arrangement for reading photo-stimulable storage luminescent substance, comprising: an excitation glass fibre for carrying light for exciting the storage luminescent substance; and a receiving glass fibre for carrying light produced by an excited storage luminescent substance, wherein an end of the excitation glass fibre which is positioned so as to be close to the storage luminescent substance is arranged next to an end of the receiving glass fibre which is positioned so as to be close to the storage luminescent substance, wherein the excitation glass fibre has a first numerical aperture, wherein the receiving glass fibre has a second numerical aperture which is large compared with the first numerical aperture, and wherein the end of the excitation glass fibre is positioned at a predetermined distance to the photo-stimulable storage luminescent substance such that the predetermined distance and the first numerical aperture solely define a spot of exciting light having a spot size defining a resolution for reading information from the photo-stimulable storage luminescent substance; an excitation light source which feeds light into another end of the excitation glass fibre; a receiver unit for receiving light transmitted in the receiving glass fibre; a drum unit rotatable about a first axis and to a curved surface of which the storage luminescent substance is affixed; an advancing device for moving the closely arranged ends of the glass fibre arrangement along the first axis, and relative to the drum unit; and a control unit for synchronizing operation of the excitation light source, the receiver unit, the drum unit and the advancing device.