Characterization of mixed Bi4(GexSi1−x)3O12 for crystal calorimetry at future colliders

Bismuth germanate (BGO) is a well known high density scintillating material widely used in many applications such as high energy physics and medical imaging. Bismuth silicate (BSO) features properties similar to BGO in terms of stopping power and Cherenkov photon yield with a lower scintillation light output but faster decay time, thus being more attractive for applications in high-rate environments. Mixed crystals such as Bi4(GexSi1−x)3O12 (BGSO, with x varying from 0 to 1) make it possible to optimize decay time and light yield based on the detector needs.