Basic Properties:
Density (g/cm3) | 7.13 | Melting Point (K) | 1323 |
Thermal Expansion Coefficient (C-1 ) | 7 x 10-6 | Cleavage Plane | none |
Hardness (Mho) | 5 | Hygroscopic | no |
Wavelength of Emission Max. (nm) | 480 | Lower Wavelength Cutoff (nm) | 320 |
Refractive Index @ Emission Max | 2.15 | Primary Decay Time (ns) | 300 |
Light Yield (photons/keVγ) | 8-10 | Photoelectron Yield [% of NaI(Tl)] (for γ-rays) | 15 - 20 |
Temperature Response | -1.2%/℃ | Neutron Capture Cross-section | 1.47b |
Afterglow @ 20ms | 150ppm |
Specifications:
Growth Method | Bridgman | Formula | Bi4Ge3O12 |
Maximum Dimension | ∅ 75 mm x 300 mm | Available Items | Single crystal and arrays |
Bismuth Germanate (BGO) Crystal is one of the most common oxide scintillation materials. BGO is a high Z material(a material with a high atomic number), and the atomic number of bismuth is 83, which implies that BGO is an efficient radiation absorber, particularly for gamma radiations. Given the high Z value of the material, the photo fraction for gamma absorption is high. As a result, impressive peak-to-total ratios are obtained.
Shanghai North Optics offers BGO bulk crystals with custom specifications. The scintillators are used in high-energy physics (scintillators for electromagnetic calorimeters and detecting assemblies of accelerators), spectrometers of gamma-radiation, and positron tomography. Besides, North Optics also provides Pixelated BGO Scintillation Arrays.
Applications:
Positron emission tomography (PET)
High energy physics
Nuclear medicine
Geological prospecting
Gamma pulse spectroscopy