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      Home
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      BGO Bismuth Germanate

      BGO Bismuth Germanate

      BGO Bare Crystals  BGO Anti-Compton Transverse Crystal  BGO Anti-Compton Transverse Crystal
      BGO Bare Crystals  BGO Anti-Compton Transverse Crystal  BGO Anti-Compton Transverse Crystal

      BGO (Bi4Ge3O12) is a high Z, high density scintillation material. Due to the high atomic number of bismuth (83) and the material's high density of 7.13 g/cm3, BGO is a very efficient gamma ray absorber. Given the high Z value of the material, the photo fraction for gamma ray absorption is high and as a result very good peak-to-total ratios are observed.

      The radioactivity in BGO can make BGO unacceptable for some applications. We have developed a production process that significantly reduces the natural background, making our BGO well-suited for most applications.

       

       

      Uses/Applications

      • Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
      • Physics - A Compton suppressor (also known as an anti-Compton shield or ACS)
       

      Features/Benefits

      • High Z
      • High density
      • Good photopeak to Compton ratio
      • Scintillator of choice for neutron activation analysis and active Compton shields

       

      Packaging Options

      BGO can be machined to various shapes and geometries. Since BGO is not hygroscopic it does not require a hermetic package. Arrays can be produced for imaging applications such as medical PET and security. For Physics experiments such as anti-Compton shields, crystals are typically packaged into larger annulus type detectors with multiple readout devices such as photomultiplier tubes.

      Typical Sizes and Configurations

      • Available in large sizes and variable shapes
      • Typical detector sizes range from 1" to 5" diameter and thicknesses up to 5"
      • Other shapes; cube, hexagon
      • Pixels (minimum 0.5mm square) or when used in an array down to 0.3mm

      Properties

      Properties Value
      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%/C
      Neutron capture cross-section 1.47b
      Afterglow @ 20ms 150ppm

      Related Resources

       BGO Material Data Sheet
       Scintillation Materials and Assemblies
       Efficiency Calculations Brochure

       Contact us to learn more!

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