An analytical approach to the light transport in columnar phosphors. Detector Optical Gain, angular distribution and the CsI:Tl paradigm.

Purpose: An analytical model has been developed for the light propagation in columnar phosphors, based on the optical photon propagation physical and geometrical principles.

Methods: This model accounts for the multiple reflections on the sides of the crystal column, as well as for the infinite forward and backward reflections of the propagated optical photon beams created in the crystal bulk. Additionally it considers the lateral propagated optical photon beams after multiple refractions from the neighbor columns and the optical photon attenuation inside the scintillator. The model was used to predict the Detector Optical Gain (DOG), and the angular distribution, of the columnar CsI:Tl scintillators, used in medical imaging.

Results: The model was validated against CsI:Tl optical photon transmission published results and good agreement was observed. It was, also, found that the DOG is affected by the length of the columns, as well as the incident X-ray energy spectrum. The results of the angular distribution are in accordance with the theory that the longer crystal columns have more directional light distribution.

Conclusions: The results of DOG are in accordance with the use of short crystal columns for lower energies (mammography) and the use of long crystal columns for higher energies (general radiology). Angular distribution was found more directive for long crystal columns.