PWO Lead Tungstate Scintillation Crystals
Lead Tungstate - PWO (or PbWO₄) is a highly effective gamma-ray absorber as a result of its high density and high Z. It is also very fast with a very short Radiation Length and Moliere Radius.


PWO scintillator crystal strengths:
  • High stopping power: High Density - 8.28 g/cm³, Radiation Length - 0.92 cm, Moliere Radius -2.19 cm
  • Fast: Decay Times - 6 and 30 ns
  • Radiation Hard: No damage up to 10⁵ Gy

PWO scintillator crystals have the following issues which should be noted:
  • Relatively low light output
  • Are intrinsically radioactive making it unacceptable for some applications
  • Are susceptible to radiation damage, starting with doses between 1 and 10 Gray (10² - 10³ rad). Reversible with time or annealing.

Lead Tungstate - PWO scintillator crystals are useful in diverse applications such as:
  • Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
  • Specialist applications in high energy, nuclear, space and medical physics
PWO Scintillation Crystals
- Properties -
PWO Scintillator Emission Spectrum
PWO Mass Attenuation Coefficients
PWO Scintillation Crystals
- Optical Properties -
Property Units Value
Wavelength (Max. Emission) nm 430, 520
Wavelength Range nm TBA
Decay Times ns 6 and 30
Light Yield photons/keV TBA
Photoelectron Yield % of NaI(Tl) 1
Radiation Length cm 0.92
Optical Transmission µm TBA
Transmittance % TBA
Refractive Index 2.16
Reflection Loss/Surface % TBA
Neutron Capture Cross-section barns TBA
PWO Scintillation Crystals
- Mechanical Properties -
Property Units Value
Chemical Formula PbWO₄
Density g/cm³ 8.28
Atomic Number (Effective) 73
Melting Point ºK 1125
Thermal Expansion Coeff. C⁻¹ 10.0 x 10‾⁶
Crystal Structure Tetra
Hardness Mho 4
Hygroscopic No
Solubility g/100gH₂0 N/A
PWO Scintillation Crystals
- Further Reading/Publications -
PWO Scintillation Crystals
- Sizes -
Diameters:
50 mm max.
Lengths:
200 mm max.