Optical Orientation of Lutetium Oxyorthosicilcate

The crystal structure of Lutetium Oxyorthosilicate (LSO), a scintillating gamma ray receptor for positron emission tomography, was researched. This crystal structure was to be associated with the optical properties of the crystal in such a way that boules of the substance might be reliably oriented for cutting using visible light rather than x-rays. This will lead to a substantial decrease in the cost of LSO pixel production, as the equipment for optical light orientation is much less expensive than that for x-ray orientation. An attempt was made to analyze the crystals by orienting them using cleavage planes, but this failed due to a lack of regular cleavage in LSO. Alternatively, an x-ray oriented boule segment was to be analyzed, but as the boule was too valuable to cut apart, this procedure was not viable either. The project currently awaits the revitalization of the department's x-ray machine so that an expendable crystal fragment might be x-ray oriented. The fragment will then be analyzed using index oils to determine the relationship of the optical indicatrix figure to the crystal axes.