Radiation-induced changes in the radiophotoluminescence decline of metaphosphate glasses. Application to dosimetry

Radiophotoluminescence decline in silver-activated metaphosphate glasses is altered by γ, α or n irradiation. A parameter T characterizing the aspect of the decline, not physically significant but especially stable, was defined and its variation plotted against the dose absorbed and the nature of the radiation. From 100 rads to about 50 rads a simple empirical law relates the dose D to the decline parameter T. Above 500 rads T is constant, meaning that the form of the decline no longer changes at high doses. The nature of the radiation (γ, n, α) seems not to affect parameter T, which is strongly influenced however by the chemical composition of the glass, Finally the problem of absorbed dose memorization by the glass for very weak irradiations (background for example) is discussed