Phosphate glass detectors with high sensitivity to nuclear particles

Abstract Until now, the most sensitive glass for recording and identifying nuclear particle tracks has been VG-13, a phosphate glass that is not produced in the USA because it contains uranium. In a search for a replacement for VG-13, we have studied about 150 phosphate glasses, as well as a few other types. We summarize here the results of that study. We have developed a new glass, BP-1, composed of 65 wt.% P 2 O 5 , 25 wt.% BaO, 5 wt.% Na 2 O, and 5 wt.% SiO 2 , which has several advantages over VG-13: it contains no uranium, it is colorless and transparent, and it is more sensitive to ionizing particles.