Effect of annealing time on the linear and nonlinear optical properties of PbOGeO[formula omitted]Ga[formula omitted]O[formula omitted] glasses doped with Er[formula omitted] and Yb[formula omitted], Au[formula omitted] ions

Abstract

Gold-nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a germanate glass system were prepared and their linear and nonlinear optical properties were studied and analyzed. The glasses were produced using the melt-quenching technique and the NPs were synthesized using thermal reduction. Materials were prepared using 0.5 wt% of Er2O3 and other concentrations (1.0/3.0 wt%) of Yb2O3 and Au2O3. The data article reports the optical properties such as Urbach energy (EU), energy gap (Eg) and linear refractive index (n). We showed that the linear refractive index for tested glasses is in the range 2.12÷2.33. Urbach energy and energy gap were determined using Tauc method. The result showed that EU are in the range 0.066÷0.150 [eV] and Eg are 2.945÷3.006 [eV]. The nonlinear optical properties (NLO), such as nonlinear refractive index (n2), nonlinear absorption coefficient (β) and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities (χ<3>), were also determined. Measurements were made using the Z-scan technique (wavelength λ = 532 nm, 1 Hz repetition rate). The magnitude of these parameters were found to be 10−6 cm2/GW, 10−9 cm/W and 10−20 m2/V2, respectively. The most increased TPA coefficient during the annealing process is observed in the material containing the largest amount of gold (PGG + 0.5%Er-1.0%Yb-3.0%Au). The annealing process is correlated with the reduction of gold ions and mainly influences the TPA results. The effect is stronger for samples containing higher quantities of gold.