Unique properties
Phosphate glasses can be advantageous over silica glasses for optical fibers with high concentration of doping rare earth ions.[3][4]
A mix of fluoride glass and phosphate glass is fluorophosphate glass.
Silver-containing phosphate glass is used in phosphate glass dosimeters. It emits fluorescent light when irradiated by ultraviolet light, when previously exposed to ionizing radiation, in an amount proportional to the dose.[5]
Some phosphate glasses are bio-compatible and water-soluble and are suited for use as degradable tissue and bone scaffolds within the human body.[6]