the effects of doping b2o3on the defects and their induced anti-radiation performance change of the multicomponent phosphate glasses were studied in this work. the introduction of b2o3reduces the connectivity of phosphate chains and thus increases the concentration of po3-ec and po4-ec defects in the phosphate glass network that have large absorption in the high-energy region. meanwhile, b2o3can improve the oxidizability of those glasses at the same melting temperature under which fe2+ions will be more easily oxidized to fe3+ions. however, the addition of b2o3in terms of h3bo3, as it reaches up to 7.5 wt%, could enhance the gamma radiation resistance of the phosphate glasses, in this case b2o3, and enter the phosphate glass network in the form of b5o8 units. the units enhanced the connectivity of the long phosphate chains, and thus reduced the concentration of po3-ec and po4-ec defects in phosphate glasses. © 2017 optical society of america.