Lead Tungstate (PbWO₄) is a high-density, fast-response scintillation crystal widely used in high-energy particle physics and radiation detection systems. Its short radiation length, excellent radiation hardness, and very fast decay time make it especially suitable for high-rate, high-radiation environments where precise timing and compact detector geometry are critical.
PbWO₄ is best known for its role in electromagnetic calorimeters in large-scale particle physics experiments, where it enables accurate energy measurement of high-energy photons and electrons.
Key Properties of Lead Tungstate (PbWO₄)
- High Density & High Atomic Number: Efficient absorption of gamma rays and high-energy particles, enabling compact detector designs.
- Fast Scintillation Response: Nanosecond-scale decay times support high counting rates and rapid signal processing.
- Excellent Radiation Hardness: Maintains performance under intense radiation exposure in accelerators and nuclear environments.
- Low Light Yield, Ultra-Fast Timing: Although the light output is lower than some scintillators, its speed makes it ideal for time-critical detection.
Crystal & Scintillation Properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 8.28 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 1123 °C |
| Refractive Index | 2.16 |
| Radiation Length | 9.2 mm |
| Emission Peaks | 530 nm (slow), 440 nm (fast) |
| Decay Constants | 30 ns (slow), 6 ns (fast) |
| Light Output | ~0.5% (relative) |
| Cleavage Plane | (101) |
The combination of high density and short radiation length makes PbWO₄ ideal for compact calorimeter systems.
Typical Applications of PbWO₄
- Particle physics detectors (electromagnetic calorimeters in high-energy accelerators such as LHC-class experiments)
- Radiation & nuclear monitoring systems (gamma-ray and high-energy particle detection)
- Medical imaging systems (specialized fast gamma detection and CT-related applications)
- Aerospace & space instrumentation (radiation measurement in harsh space environments)
Shape Optics PbWO₄ Capabilities
Shape Optics Technologies supplies high-quality PbWO₄ scintillation crystals and crystal blanks, supported by over 20 years of optical and crystal-processing expertise.
Product & Service Offering
- PbWO₄ scintillation crystals for particle and radiation detection
- PbWO₄ crystal blank materials for custom detector fabrication
- OEM and custom crystal solutions
Why Choose Lead Tungstate (PbWO₄)?
PbWO₄ is a preferred scintillation material when applications demand:
- Fast timing and high count-rate capability
- Compact detector geometry
- High resistance to radiation damage
- Stable performance in extreme environments
Its proven performance in nuclear and particle physics makes PbWO₄ a cornerstone material for advanced scintillation and calorimetry systems.