Exploiting Cherenkov Radiation With BGO-Based Metascintillators

In time-of-flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET), the timing capabilities of scintillation-based detector play an important role. An approach for fast is using so-called metascintillators, which combine two materials leading to synergistic blending their favorable characteristics. added effect BGO-based metascintillators taking advantage better transportation Cherenkov photons through UV-transparent such as plastic (type EJ232). To prove this, we use optimized Coincidence Time Resolution (CTR) setup based on electronic boards with output signals (timing and energy) near-ultraviolet (NUV) vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) from Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), along different coupling materials. As a reference detector, employed 3×3×5 mm3 LYSO:Ce,Ca crystal pixel coupled optical grease NUV-HD SiPM. The evaluation low threshold rise-time, energy time arrival event datasets. Timing results BGO/EJ232 3×3×15 metapixel show Detector Resolutions (DTRs) 159 ps full photopeak. We demonstrate possibility discrimination subsets DTR rise distributions (RTD). Finally, present capability enhance detection when used VUV-sensitive SiPMs.