Characteristics of fluorescent nuclear track detection with Ag+-activated phosphate glass

Silver-activated phosphate glass (Ag+-glass), which is commonly employed as a radiophotoluminscence (RPL) dosimeter, was applied as a fluorescent nuclear track detector (FNTD). The heavy ions from C to Fe ions were detected as fluorescent nuclear tracks under a confocal microscope. The detection linear energy transfer (LET) threshold was estimated to be 5 keV/μm in water. The fading effect was observed in which the fluorescent intensity decreases with repeated laser scans. The Ag+-glass has good potential applicability as the FNTD for the high LET range (5–200 keV/μm) in radioimmunotherapy and space radiation dosimetry uses.