Ionizing-Radiation Beam Monitoring System

Abstract

A transmissive ionizing-radiation beam monitoring system includes an enclosure structure including an entrance window and an exit window to an incident ionizing-radiation beam, where the entrance window and the exit window are highly transmissive. The system further includes a thin scintillator within the enclosure structure that is directly in an incident ionizing-radiation beam path and transmissive to the incident radiation beam and an ultraviolet (“UV”) illumination source within the enclosure structure facing the scintillator for internal system calibration. Embodiments further include a UV photosensor within the enclosure structure positioned to monitor and calibrate the UV illumination source and a machine vision camera within the enclosure structure that includes a lens which views the scintillator through a close proximity mirror including a folded optical axis system located to a side of the scintillator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A transmissive ionizing-radiation beam monitoring system comprising:
 an enclosure structure with an ultra-thin window to an incident ionizing-radiation beam;   at least one thin scintillator within the enclosure structure that is substantially directly in an incident ionizing-radiation beam path;   at least one ultraviolet (UV) illumination source within the enclosure structure;   at least one UV photosensor within the enclosure structure; and   at least one machine vision camera within the enclosure structure.   
     
     
         2 . The transmissive ionizing-radiation beam monitoring system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a computer system that processes and analyzes image data streaming in real-time from the machine vision camera.   
     
     
         3 . The transmissive ionizing-radiation beam monitoring system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a UV bandpass filter optically coupled in close proximity to each UV illumination source, the UV bandpass filter having maximum spectral transmission in a spectral region of maximum emission from the UV illumination source.