Standard Plastic Scintillating, Wavelength Shifting and Optical Fibers A Typical Round Scintillating Fiber General Description Standard Bicron fibers consist of a polystyrene-based core and a PMMA cladding as shown. In addition, Extramural Absorber (EMA) can be used to eliminate optical crosstalk. The scintillating core contains fluorescent dopants selected to produce the desired scintillation, optical and radiation-resistance characteristics. Often, one property is enhanced while another is mildly compromised. In small fibers the fluor concentration is increased, usually at the cost of light attenuation length. The cladding is far thicker than the principles of optics require. This extra thickness provides robust physical protection for the core. It is also a particularly effective optical conduit over distances reaching 30 cm, utilizing the 25% trapping efficiency created by its interface with air. Standard Formulations BCF-10 general purpose, blue scintillator optimized for diameters >250 µm BCF-12 blue scintillator with improved transmission for use in long lengths BCF-20 fast green scintillator BCF-60 green scintillator with 3HF for increased radiation hardness BCF-91A blue to green wavelength shifter BCF-92 fast blue to green wavelength shifter BCF-98 clear light guide Standard Sizes 0.25 mm to 5 mm square or round cross sections supplied as pre-cut, straight canes or on spools (smaller cross sections) Note: for information on multiclad fibers see Bicron FacBack Document # 2302 Optical and Physical Properties Scintillating core material polystyrene Scintillating core refractive index 1.60 Density 1.05 g/cm3 Cladding material acrylic Cladding refractive index 1.49 Cladding thickness round fibers 3% of core O square fibers 4% of core side Numerical aperture 0.58 Trapping efficiency round fibers 3.44 % minimum square fibers 4.4 % Radiation length 42 cm Vacuum compatible yes Operating temperature -20°C to +50°C Atomic Composition Number of H atoms per cm3 (core) 4.82 x 1022 Number of C atoms per cm3 (core) 4.85 x 1022 Number of electrons atoms per cm3 (core) 3.4 x 1023 Specific Properties of Standard Formulations Fiber Emission Peak nm Decay Time ns 1/e Length m (1) Number of Photons per MeV (2) % of Emission Spectrum Transmitted by a Wratten #3 Filter (3) BCF-10 432 2.7 > 1.9 ~8000 40 BCF-12 435 3.2 > 2.2 ~8000 44 BCF-20 492 2.7 > 3.5 ~8000 95 BCF-60 530 7 > 3.5 ~7100 99 BCF-91A 494 12 > 3.5 N/A > 98 BCF-92 492 2.7 > 3.5 N/A > 98 BCF-98 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A For 1 mm diameter fiber; measured with a bialkali cathode PMT For Minimum Ionizing Particle (MIP), corrected for PMT sensitivity Actual value varies with the quantum efficiency of the readout device Applications Scintillating fibers make new advances in research and instrumentation possible in such applications as: Neutron imaging Particle discrimination Calorimeters Cosmic ray telescopes Real time imaging systems Flow cells Emission Spectra BCF-10 BCF-12 BCF-20 BCF-60 Optical Spectra BCF-91A BCF-92 Attenuation vs. Wavelength BCF-98 [ Scintillating and fluorescent fibers ] Organic Products | Inorganic Scintillation Products | Crystal Products Bicron RMP | Optics and Oxides | Crismatec | Product Search/Faq Company Profile | News | Contact Us | NE Technology | Home