Physical principles of industrial growing technology of lead tungstate (PWO) for high-energy physics applications

• Date: 2005
• Main Authors: Beloglovsky, S., Saveliev, Yu., Ippolitov, M., Manko, V., Vasiliev, A., Tamulaitis, G., Apanasenko, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: НТК «Інститут монокристалів» НАН України 2005
• Series: Functional Materials
• Online Access: https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/138853
• Journal Title: Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
• Cite this: Physical principles of industrial growing technology of lead tungstate (PWO) for high-energy physics applications / S. Beloglovsky, Yu. Saveliev, M. Ippolitov, V. Manko, A. Vasiliev, G. Tamulaitis, A. Apanasenko // Functional Materials. — 2005. — Т. 12, № 2. — С. 287-290. — Бібліогр.: 16 назв. — англ.

A new model is proposed describing defects responsible for optical properties and radiation hardness of PWO single crystals. The model clarifies origins of optical properties important for application of PWO as a scintillator in high-energy physics experiments and provides a base for purposeful optimization of growth and annealing processes to achieve reliable reproducibility of specified parameters in production of PWO scintillators on industrial scale. The model is based on assumption that the optical properties of nominally pure PWO are determined mainly by inherent inclusions of tungsten oxides with variable tungsten valence WO₃-ₓ that are formed during the crystal growth and may be modified by thermal treatment or irradiation. The new concept enabled development of industrial technology at "North Crystals" company, where scintillation blocks with parameters specified for CERN ALICE and CMS projects are being produced now with reproducibility of about 100 %.