1266. Bismuth Germanate

Nomenclature

CAS number: 12233-56-6
Bismuth germanium oxide (Bi4Ge3O12); BGO.
Bi4Ge3O12; mol wt 1245.83.
Bi 67.10%, Ge 17.49%, O 15.41%.
Bi4(GeO4)3.

Description and references

High density scintillation material; γ-ray absorber. Single crystal growth and characterization: R. Nitsche, J. Appl. Phys. 36, 2358 (1965); R. V. A. Murthy et al., J. Cryst. Growth 197, 865 (1999); J. B. Shim et al., ibid. 243, 157 (2002). Luminescence properties: M. J. Weber, R. R. Monchamp, J. Appl. Phys. 44, 5495 (1973). Temperature-dependent scintillation properties: H. V. Piltingsrud, J. Nucl. Med. 20, 1279 (1979). Laser-excited optical properties: F. Rogemond et al., J. Lumin. 33, 455 (1985). Optical and photoelastic properties: P. A. Williams et al., Appl. Opt. 35, 3562 (1996). Thermophysical properties: V. D. Golyshev et al., J. Cryst. Growth 262, 202, 212 (2004). Performance in PET applications: G. Gervino, E. Monticone, Sens. Actuators A 41-42, 487 (1994); in radiation detectors: Z. S. Macedo et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B 218, 153 (2004).

Properties

Colorless, non-hygroscopc, cubic crystals, mp ≈1050°. n550 2.1204. n600 2.1058. n750 2.0786. d 7.13. Emission max: 480 nm.

Use

Scintillator crystal in nuclear physics, high-energy physics, geology, and nuclear medical imaging applications including PET, X-ray CT and positron CT; in electromagnetic calorimeters.