Optical characterization and ionizing-radiation response of the BCF-20XL scintillating fiber

Abstract

We report optical characterization and ionizing-radiation measurements of the BCF-20XL scintillating fiber from Luxium Solutions, which also wavelength-shifts externally incident blue light (referred to here as Sci-WLS). Attenuation lengths were obtained from transmitted emission spectra using a 3.0 m fiber with a spectrophotometer and described with a two-component attenuation model, yielding a long attenuation length of 6.70 m and a short attenuation length of 0.16 m. The spectral measurements also reveal wavelength-dependent attenuation, with the long component increasing with wavelength and the short component becoming less significant at longer wavelengths. The scintillation response was also characterized under radioactive alpha, beta, and gamma irradiation using SiPM-based readout, providing a benchmark of the detected photoelectron response of BCF-20XL.

arXiv comment16 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables; v3: revised following journal peer review; accepted for publication in JINST