Title: US-China Cooperative Research (Physics): Study of Very High Energy Light Particle Production in Heavy-Ion Collisions Using BGO Glass Scintillator Detectors. This proposal is for support to construct a large bismuth germanate glass scintillator detector for studying high energy particle production. This cooperative study is proposed by Dr. Frederick Becchetti, University of Michigan, and Professors Yin Zhiwan and Shen Dingzhong, Shanghai Instititute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Science. The research team at the University of Michigan has successfully tested the use of a large bismuth germanate glass scintillator to detect particles generated under high energy (E > 200 MeV). The collaborating scientists from the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics (SCI) have extensive expertise in producing large, clear bismuth germanate crystals, an essential part in constructing this high energy scintillator detector, but not commercially available. Jointly they plan to construct a very high energy (E>200 MeV) large bismuth germanate glass scintillator detector for detecting particle production. Bismuth germanate glass scintillator detectors are used extensively in high-energy physics and nuclear physics, and form an essential part of the PET scanners. The result of this project is a device capable of detecting particles generated under high energy (E>200 MeV), which no equipment is able to measure at present. Applications of this detector can provide critical data for improving detection efficiency for radiation monitoring devices and satellite surveillance. This project is jointly supported by the NSF and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
