Plasma panel based ionizing-particle radiation detector

Abstract

A position-sensitive ionizing-particle radiation counting detector includes a first substrate and a second substrate generally parallel to the first substrate and forming a gap with the first substrate, with a discharge gas contained within the gap. The detector includes a first electrode electrically coupled to the second substrate, and a second electrode electrically coupled to the first electrode and defining at least one pixel with the first electrode. The detector further includes an open dielectric structure pattern layered over one of the first or second electrodes and a current-limiting quench resistor coupled in series to one of the first or second electrodes. The detector further includes a power supply coupled to one of the first or second electrodes and a first discharge event detector circuitry coupled to the one of the first or second electrodes for detecting a gas discharge counting event in the electrode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A position-sensitive ionizing-particle radiation counting detector comprising:
 a first substrate;   a second substrate generally parallel to said first substrate and forming a gap with said first substrate;   a discharge gas contained within said gap;   at least one first electrode electrically coupled to said second substrate;   at least one second electrode electrically coupled to the first electrode and defining at least one pixel with the first electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are in direct contact with the discharge gas;   a patterned dielectric barrier structure, forming a plurality of cells, layered over and directly coupled, without an intervening dielectric layer, to at least one of said first or second electrodes, the patterned dielectric barrier structure directly coupled to both the first and the second substrates, and in direct contact with the discharge gas;   a current-limiting quench resistor coupled in series to at least one of said first or second electrodes;   a power supply coupled to at least one of the first or second electrodes;   a first discharge event detector circuitry coupled to at least one of the first or second electrodes for detecting a gas discharge counting event in the electrode; and   a plurality of pixels defined by said electrodes, each pixel capable of outputting a gas discharge counting event upon interaction with ionizing-particles, wherein each gas discharge pulse is counted as having approximately an equal value;   wherein the dielectric barrier structure is configured to localize each gas discharge counting event to one of the plurality of cells.