Barium fluoride as a scintillator
Barium fluoride as a scintillation material
The BaF2 crystal is suitable as a scintillator due to its short decay time. As such, it is one of the fastest scintillators. BaF2 is used in time-sensitive investigations, e.g. positron lifetime measurements (fast component).
The most important facts about BaF2 as a scintillator
very fast decay time
0.6
ns
ultra fast scintillator
emission wavelength
220 / 310
nm
only the fast one is used here
Zeff
53.0
Hellma Materials BaF2 crystals as solutions for your optical challenges and in the field of scintillation
Barium fluoride (BaF2) from Hellma Materials is a proven optical material with outstanding properties:
- Broad transmission spectrum: Excellent transmission in the VIS and IR range.
- Low dispersion: Minimises chromatic aberrations.
- High resistance to ionising radiation: can be used in space.
- Large diameters: Up to 360 mm possible for demanding applications as lenses and windows.
Thanks to these properties, our BaF2 crystals are the first choice for:
- Astronomy: Optics for astronomical instruments
- Security technology: thermal imaging and night vision devices with VIS channel
- Security industry: IR laser optics
- Environmental analysis: IR spectroscopy
- Radiation detection: as a fast scintillator for the detection of high-energy γ-radiation > 5 MeV (PET)
- Basic research: Time-of-flight application in particle physics
Advantages of our barium fluoride
| Feature | Value | Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal conductivity | λ = 11.72 @ 13°C [W/(m*K)] | Compensates for high CTE |
| Low spectral dispersion | 𝜈d = 81.61 | Minimises chromatic aberrations |
| High, broadband transmission from the VIS to the IR range | 200 nm to 12 µm | Excellent transmittance in the VIS and IR range |
| Available size of semi-finished products | up to 360 mm | for demanding applications |
Features of the BaF2 at a glance
| Scintillation properties | |
|---|---|
| Emission wavelength [nm] | 220 (fast) 310 (slow) |
| Energy resolution @662 keV [% FWHM] | 9.5 |
| Light yield [photons/MeV] | 1˙500 (fast) 10˙000 (slow) |
| Decay time [ns] | 0.6 (fast) 620 (slow) |
| Background [Bq/cm3] | from 0.03 |
| Zeff | 45.9 |
| Optical, mechanical, thermal properties | |
|---|---|
| Refractive index @ emission wavelength | 1.54@ 220nm 1.50@ 310nm |
| Density [g/cm³] | 4.89 |
| Thermal conductivity [W m-1 K-1] | 11.72 |
| Linbear expansion coefficient [10-6 K-1] | 18.1 |
| Crystal structure | cubic |
| Hygroscopic | no |
| Forms of delivery | |
|---|---|
| Diameter max. [mm] | 360 |
| Thickness max. [mm] | 150 |
| Surface quality | finely ground/polished |
Your advantages with semi-finished products from Hellma Materials:
Flexibility in material size: Customised solutions for your specific requirements.
Optimised performance: Achieve maximum optical precision and efficiency.
Reliability: Trust in a proven material with a long service life.
Quality control: All measurement technology including laser laboratory in-house.
