Collimator fabrication

Abstract

A collimator that formed from a plurality of metal foil layers that are shaped by use of lithographic techniques in specific shapes. The formed metal foil layers are stacked and aligned together and then connected together to form the collimator.

1 . A method of manufacturing a collimator comprising: 
 providing a plurality of metal foil layers;    forming a plurality of metal foil layers into specific shapes by use of at least one lithographic technique;    stacking and aligning said plurality of formed metal layers;    connecting together said plurality of formed metal layers to form said collimator.    
   
   
       2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers each have an average density of at least about 8.5 g/cm 3 .  
   
   
       3 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers each have average thickness of less than about 400 microns.  
   
   
       4 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one lithographic technique includes photo-etching.  
   
   
       5 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said step of forming includes the formation of at least one alignment opening in at least one metal foil layer.  
   
   
       6 . The method as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said step of stacking and aligning includes the use of at least one alignment opening formed in a plurality of metal foil layers.  
   
   
       7 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said step of connecting together includes brazing together a plurality of metal foil layers.  
   
   
       8 . The method as defined in  claim 7 , including the step of coating at least one side of a plurality of metal foil layers with a brazing metal.  
   
   
       9 . The method as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said brazing metal has an average density of at least about 8.5 g/cm 3 .  
   
   
       10 . The method as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said brazing metal has an average coating thickness of less than about 10 microns.  
   
   
       11 . The method as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said step of brazing includes vacuum brazing.  
   
   
       12 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , including the step of generating a computer image of a plurality of said formed metal foil layers.  
   
   
       13 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , including the step of generating a computer image of said collimator and then sectioning said computer image of said collimator into a plurality of sectional images that correspond to a plurality of said formed metal foil layers.  
   
   
       14 . The method as defined in  claim 12 , including the step of forming at least one mask from at least one of said computer images and at least partially forming at least one of said formed metal foil layers using said mask.  
   
   
       15 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , including the step of forming at least one mask from at least one of said sectional images and at least partially forming at least one of said formed metal foil layers using said mask.  
   
   
       16 . A collimator formed of a plurality of metal layers, each of said metal layers connected together by a brazing metal having a different composition than said metal of said metal layers.  
   
   
       17 . The collimator as defined in  claim 16 , wherein a plurality of said metal layers each have an average density of at least about 8.5 g/cm 3 .  
   
   
       18 . The collimator as defined in  claim 16 , wherein a plurality of said metal layers each have average thickness of less than about 400 microns.  
   
   
       19 . The collimator as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said brazing metal has an average density of at least about 8.5 g/cm 3 .  
   
   
       20 . The collimator as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said brazing metal has an average coating thickness of less than about 10 microns.