A fast readout method for an imaging plate using wavelength shifting fibers and line-shaped laser

A fast readout method for an imaging plate is proposed using wavelength shifting fibers and line-shaped laser. This method adopts wavelength shifting fiber for signal transmission and line-shaped laser for reading out all pixels of the imaging plate in one axis at the same time, which results in reduction of readout time. To validate the method, the authors have fabricated an experimental system with a rotating mirror and earned out demonstration experiments using CAMAC readout system. In the experiments, two measuring methods such as a photon counting method and a charge integral method were used. The experimental results show that an alpha particle image of 5/spl times/5 mm can be taken within 10 milliseconds in both methods. The spatial resolution of 0.5 mm in the photon counting method was obtained in scanning direction, although the resolution perpendicular to scanning direction was more than 1 mm, which greatly depends on the diameter of the wavelength shifting fibers.