Plastic Fiber

Scintillating and Light Transmitting

A variety of plastic scintillating, wavelength-shifting and light-transmitting fibers are produced for research and industry.  Scintillating fibers consist of a polystyrene-based core and a PMMA cladding. The scintillating core contains a combination of fluorescent dopants selected to produce the desired scintillation, optical and radiation-resistance characteristics.

BCF-XL Series

Starting in 2023, Luxium Solutions introduced the BCF-XL series of scintillating and wavelength shifting fibers with improved, market-leading attenuation length for optimal, reliable performance for a variety of different applications. Properties of our BCF-XL fiber formulations can be found in the table below.

Current sizes range from 0.5 mm to 3 mm round cross-sections and are available in canes, spools, ribbons, and arrays. Custom sizes and designs are available upon request. Fibers > 2mm are available only in cane form to prevent the fiber from retaining the shape of the spool.

Scintillating fibers are well-suited for such applications as Industrial gauging, Calorimeters, Real-time imaging systems.

The flexibility of fibers allows them to conform to surface shapes, yielding geometries superior to those of other types of detectors. Examples are detectors for monitoring pipes or barrels.

Properties

Scintillating Fibers

Fiber Type   Emission Color Emission Peak, nm Decay Time, ns # of Photons per MeV*

Attenuation Length (m)**

Characteristics / Applications
BCF-10XL blue 432 2.7 ~8000 >4 General-purpose; optimized for diameters >250μm
BCF-12XL blue 435 3.2 ~8000 >4 Improved transmission for use in long lengths
BCF-9998XL blue 435 3.2 ~8000 >4 Scintillating fiber, optimized for maximum light output in short length canes (<0.5m)
BCF-20XL green 492 2.7 ~8000 >4 Fast green scintillator
BCF-60XL green 530 7 ~7100 >4 3HF formulation for radiation hardness

Wavelength-Shifting Fibers

Fiber Type   Emission Color Emission Peak, nm Decay Time, ns # of Photons per MeV*

Attenuation Length (m)**

Characteristics / Applications
BCF-91AXL green 494 12 n/a >4 Shifts blue to green
BCF-92XL  green 492 2.7 n/a >4 Fast blue to green shifter
BCF-9929AXL green 492 2.7 n/a >4 Blue to green shifter. Pairs well when exciting wavelengths are >425nm (e.g. injection-molded and extruded scintillators)
BCF-9995XL blue 450 2.7 n/a >4 UV to blue shifter
BCF-9906AXL orange 540 21.6 n/a - Green to orange shifter
BCF-99172XL red 605 22.6 n/a - Green to red shifter

Optical Fibers

Fiber Type   Emission Color Emission Peak, nm Decay Time, ns # of Photons per MeV*

Attenuation Length (m)**

Characteristics / Applications
BCF-98XL  n/a n/a n/a n/a Not Available Clear waveguide

* For Minimum Ionizing Particle (MIP), corrected for PMT sensitivity

** For 1mm diameter fiber, measured using Silicon Photodiode

Fiber Ribbon Design Parameters

For Scintillating, waveshifting, and light-transmitting single fiber ribbons:

  • Minimum fiber diameter: 0.5mm
  • Standard Ribbon Length: 2" (50mm) minimum / 130" (3300mm) maximum
    • Contact us for requests outside our standard length dimensions.
  • Width: 20" (508mm) maximum
  • Ribbon end finish options:
    • Rough-Cut Finish: +/- 12.7mm (+/- 0.5”)
    • Diamond-Mill Finish
      <2m length: +/- 0.25mm (+/- 0.010”)
      >2m length: +/- 1mm (+/- 0.0394”)
Fiber ribbon

Fibers

Applications

High Energy Physics (HEP)

Calorimeters and tracking systems (trackers) are two of the most common HEP systems that use scintillating and wavelength-shifting (WLS) fibers.

Calorimeters measure the energy of electrons, photons and hadrons. The electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) and the hadronic calorimeter (HCAL) are two significant calorimeters that make up part of most modern high energy physics detectors. Most large, modern detectors have both an electromagnetic calorimeter and a hadronic calorimeter.

BCF-XL

Tracking systems are used to track the trajectory of electrically charged particles within particle detectors. Historically, these types of systems were solid state trackers (also known as silicon trackers), which began in 1980 with the advent of semiconductors.

Due to improvements in SiPM technology, scintillating fiber trackers are becoming more widespread and offer significant benefits over silicon trackers. These include a faster, lower cost, flexible detector that can operate in radiation hard environments with similar resolution to silicon trackers.

 

Muon Detection

What is a Muon? Muons are found in the cosmic radiation near the earth’s surface. Scintillating fibers are an efficient material for utilizing muons to visualize and inspect bridge structures. This muon tomography technology is new and will continue to improve for use in many other applications.

Fibers have been used in canes spools and ribbons as a great solution for these projects.

 

3D Printing

BCF-XL

Our unclad fiber can be used as a filament feed material for 3D printers. This allows end users to form scintillating material into more complex shapes as needed.

With the global growth of additive manufacturing, the use of 3D printing has expanded into more and more complex applications, including those that use scintillators.

 

Industrial Gauging

Our fibers are used in conjunction with an x-ray source to measure the contents within enclosed containers.    Breweries to chemical suppliers and beyond, the need to measure the contents within enclosed containers without exposure or contamination.

 

Recreation

A little-known use for "colored" fiber is for bow site archery. The fiber collects the low ambient light to provide a lighted site pin to line up the target.

 

BCF-XL

 

Scintillating Fibers

The BCF-XL series of scintillating fibers has improved, market-leading attenuation length for optimal, reliable performance in a wide range of applications. Additionally, Luxium can customize new formulations to meet your specific needs.

Formulations

Fiber Type
Emission Color
Emission Peak (nm)
Decay Time (ns)
# of Photons per MeV*
Attenuation Length (nm)**
Characteristics/Applications
BCF-10XL       blue          432         2.7           ~8000              >4
  • Luxium’s first fiber
  • General-purpose; optimized for diameters >250μm.
BCF-12XL       blue          435         3.2           ~8000              >4
  • Luxium’s most commonly used scintillating fiber.
  • Improved transmission for use in long lengths.
BCF-9998XL       blue          435         3.2           ~8000              >4
  • Similar to BCF-12XL
  • Optimized for maximum light output in short length canes (<0.5m)
BCF-20XL      green          492         2.7           ~8000              >4
  • Fast green scintillator
BCF-60XL      green          530          7           ~7100              >4
  • 3HF formulation for increased radiation hardness

* For Minimum Ionizing Particle (MIP), corrected for PMT sensitivity

** For 1mm diameter fiber, measured using Silicon Photodiode

 

Emission Spectra

BCF-XL

 

BCF-XL

 

Samples

Luxium Solutions provides the following scintillating fiber samples in 0.5mm or 1.00mm diameter in 1m length canes. Custom diameters and lengths may be available upon request.

BCF-12XL

BCF-9998XL

BCF-20XL

BCF-60XL

 

Wavelength-Shifting Fibers

The BCF-XL series of wavelength-shifting fibers has improved, market-leading attenuation length for optimal, reliable performance in a wide range of applications. Additionally, Luxium can customize new formulations to meet your specific needs.

Formulations

Fiber Type
Emission Color
Emission Peak (nm)
Decay Time (ns)
# of Photons per MeV*
Attenuation Length (m)**
Characteristics/Applications
BCF-9995XL       blue        345      440          2.7            >4
  • UV to blue shifter
BCF-91AXL      green        420      494          12            >4
  • Blue to green shifter
BCF-92XL      green        405      492          2.7            >4
  • Fast blue to green shifter
BCF-9929AXL      green        405      492          2.7            >4
  • Blue to green shifter
  • Pairs well when exciting wavelength are >425nm (e.g. injection-molded and extruded scintillators)
BCF-9906AXL     orange        435      575         21.6              -
  • Green to orange shifter
BCF-99172XL        red        575      605         22.6              -
  • Green to red shifter

* For Minimum Ionizing Particle (MIP), corrected for PMT sensitivity

** For 1mm diameter fiber, measured using Silicon Photodiode

 

Absorption and Emission Spectra

BCF-XL

 

BCF-XL

 

BCF-XL

 

Samples

Luxium Solutions provides the following scintillating fiber samples in 0.5mm or 1.00mm diameter in 1m length canes. Custom diameters and lengths may be available upon request.

BCF-9995XL

BCF-91AXL

BCF-92XL

BCF-9929AXL

Material & Structure

The BCF-XL series of wavelength-shifting fibers has improved, market-leading attenuation length for optimal, reliable performance in a wide range of applications. Additionally, Luxium can customize new formulations to meet your specific needs.

Core:

The scintillating core is polystyrene-based and contains a combination of 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 (< 0.5mm), the fluor concentration may be increased on request, usually at the expense of light attenuation length. These fibers yield about 8,000 photons per MeV deposited.

 

Core Specifications

Value

Core Material Polystyrene
Core Refractive Index 1.60
Density 1.05 g/cm3
No. of H Atoms per CC 4.82 x 1022
No. of C Atoms per CC 4.85 x 1022
No. of Electrons per CC 3.4 x 1023
Operating Temperature -20°C to +50°C
Vacuum Compatible Yes

 

Cladding:

PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate, C5 H8 O2) is the standard cladding material for Luxium Solutions’ fibers. It has a density of 1.2 g/cc and a refractive index of 1.49. The refractive indices of the core and cladding and the cross sectional shape of the fiber determine the trapping efficiency. In round fibers, the trapping efficiency also depends on the distance between the fiber axis and the scintillation event. The trapping efficiency of Luxium Solutions’ round fibers ranges from 3.4% for events occurring at the fiber axis to approximately 7% for events near the core-cladding interface.

 

Core Specifications

Value

Cladding Material Acrylic
Cladding Refractive Index 1.49
Cladding Thickness (Round Fibers) 3% of Fiber Diameter
Cladding Thickness (Square Fibers) 4% of Fiber Diameter
Numerical Aperture 0.58
Trapping Efficiency (Round Fibers) 3.44% Minimum
Trapping Efficiency (Square Fibers) 4.40% Minimum
Radiation Length 42 cm

 

Cross-section:

All Luxium fiber formulations can be manufactured in round or square dimensons.

 

Round Fiber Specifications

Value

Available Diameters* 0.5 - 3mm
Diameter Tolerance +/- 2%
Trapping Efficiency 3.44% Minimum
Cladding Thickness 3% of Fiber Diameter

* Diameters outside this range could be considered based on business justification/feasibility​.

 

Square Fiber Specifications

Value

Available Diameters* 0.5 - 2mm
Diameter Tolerance +/- 3%
Trapping Efficiency 4.40% Minimum
Cladding Thickness 4% of Fiber Diameter

* Diameters outside this range could be considered based on business justification/feasibility​.

 

 

Forms/Configurations

Luxium fibers are available in spools, canes or ribbons and can manufactured to various dimensions.

 

Spools

  • Available in 0.5 – 2mm diameter (>2mm diameter cannot be spooled, must be canes)
  • Diameters outside this range could be considered based on business justification/feasibility
BCF-XL

Canes

  • Available in 0.5 – 4.5m* lengths
  • Available in rough-cut (standard) or diamond-milled end finish (additional cost)
  • Rough cut end length tolerance: +2/-0 mm
  • Diamond-milled end length tolerance: +/- 0.25mm

 

Ribbons

BCF-XL
  • Available for all standard formulations and sizes
  • Standard Ribbon Length: 50 (2”) – 3300 (130”) mm
  • Width: 508mm (20”) maximum
  • Ribbon standard end finish options
  • Rough-Cut Finish: +/- 12.7mm (+/- 0.5”)
  • Diamond-Mill Finish:
    • <2m ribbon length: +/- 0.25mm
    • >2m ribbon length: +/- 1mm

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are fibers sensitive to Neutrons?

All scintillating fibers are sensitive to fast neutrons through proton recoil.

How is fiber light output defined?

We define the light output as # of photons per MeV for minimum ionizing Particle, which is approximately 8000 for BCF-12.  The more densely ionizing particles emits less light than per unit energy.

What is the fiber spool size?

Fiber is wound on a spool that measures 30" (762mm) outer diameter x 27.4" (698.5mm) core x 2.25" (57mm) with 1" (50.8mm) center hole. It will fit 1000 meters of 1mm fiber.

What is the lower temperature limit of Scintillating Fiber?

The lower limit on operating temperature has not been set, but research experiments have used fiber in temperatures down to about 4 degrees K.  Fiber will lose their flexibility at low temperatures.

What is the typical bend radius of a scintillating fiber

The typical bend radius is 30-40 times the diameter of the fiber.

Data Sheets
149228_Luxium_PSWS Fibers Brochure_CPrint2.pdf
PDF | 4.85 MB
149228_Luxium_PSWS Fibers Brochure_CPrint2
Operation and Care
Plastic Fiber Care

Care Instructions for Plastic and Fiber Scintillators

PDF | 60.06 KB
Care-Instructions-Plastic-Fiber-Scintillators