A three-dimensional imaging detector based on nano-scale silver-related defects in X- and gamma-ray-irradiated glasses

Abstract

Ag-activated phosphate glass, which is the most commonly known radiophotoluminescent (RPL) material, has the capability to operate not only dosimeters but also two-and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) dose imaging detectors in the same host. This passive detector is based on radiation-induced, optically active nano-scale defects. In this work, the transient-state optical properties of the blue and orange RPL were investigated using a time-resolved spectrum technique for 137 Cs and 60 Co gamma-ray-irradiated Ag-activated phosphate glass. Specifically, the blue RPL intensity with a decay time of 5 ns as a function of the depth at the vicinity of the surface was systematically examined to clarify an accurate dose distribution within the glass. Moreover, a feasibility study into the use of an RPL Ag-activated phosphate glass detector for fluorescent nuclear track imaging was demonstrated using a confocal fluorescence image microscope for the first time.

Fluorescent nuclear track images of Ag-activated phosphate glass irradiated with photons and heavy charged particles

“…A Nikon C2+ CLSM instrument (along with its software, NIS Elements version 4.40) was used to acquire and plot fluorescent 2D and 3D images of the Ag-glass samples after irradiation with photons and HCPs. In this work, instead of the 405 nm line which is the shortest available excitation wavelength for a normal C2+ CLSM instrument [7], 375 nm light emitted from a continuous wave (CW) laser diode with a nominal output power of 16 mW (less than 1 mW at the sample) (CUBE 375-16C, Coherent, Inc., USA) was used to excite the Ag 2+ and Ag 0 absorption bands in the Ag-glass. dxy=508 nm, dz=1850 nm for the 10×/0.45NA objective lens, dxy=183 nm, dz=319 nm for the 40×/1.25NA lens and dxy=163 nm, dz=126 nm for the 60×/1.40NA lens, respectively.…”

“…Silver-activated phosphate glass, the most widely known radiophotoluminescent (RPL) material [1][2][3][4], can be used not only in personal, environmental and clinical dosimeters but also in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) dose imaging detectors [5][6][7].…”

“…These accumulating passive detectors are based on radiation-induced, optically active Agrelated atomic-scale defects; therefore, the ultimate intrinsic spatial resolution of these detectors is several nanometres [7]. All materials that exhibit RPL phenomena, such as the F2 + (2Mg) centres in Al2O3:C,Mg [8] and the Ag 0 and Ag 2+ centres in Ag-activated phosphate glass (hereafter, Ag-glass) [3,9], have certain prominent features: wide dynamic ranges, high sensitivity, low energy responses and the capability of multiple non-destructive readouts.…”

Performance characterisation of a real-time fiber dosimetry system using radiophotoluminescent glasses

“…Ag-activated phosphate glass is the most widely known radiophotoluminescent (RPL) material [1][2][3][4][5] and can be used in not only personal, environmental, and clinical dosimeters but also two-and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) dose imaging detectors, 6) fluorescence nuclear track detectors (FNTDs), 7) and the visualisation of micropatterns in Ag-activated glass written using a focused MeV light ion beam. 8) Accumulating passive RPL glass dosimeters are based on radiation-induced, optically active, Ag-related atomic-scale color centers; therefore, the ultimate intrinsic spatial resolution of the dosimeters is several nanometres.…”

Two-photon excited microscale colour centre patterns in Ag-activated phosphate glass written using a focused proton beam

“…Silver-activated phosphate glass, as described above, is the most widely known RPL material [17][18][19][20] and can be used in not only personal, environmental, and clinical dosimeters but also 2D and 3D dose imaging detectors. 21,22) These accumulating passive detectors are based on radiation-induced, optically active, Ag-related atomic-scale centres; therefore, the ultimate intrinsic spatial resolution of these detectors is several nanometres.…”