EPR and optical absorption studies of Cu 2+ ions in alkaline earth alumino borate glasses

Abstract

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and optical absorption spectra of Cu 2+ ions in alkaline earth alumino borate glasses doped with different concentrations of CuO have been studied. The EPR spectra of all the glasses exhibit the resonance signals, characteristic of Cu 2+ ions present in axially elongated octahedral sites. The number of spins participating in the resonance has been calculated as a function of temperature for calcium alumino borate (CaAB) glass doped with 0.1 mol% of CuO. From the EPR data, the paramagnetic susceptibility ( χ) was calculated at different temperatures ( T) and from the 1/ χ– T graph, the Curie temperature of the glass has been evaluated. The optical absorption spectra of all the glasses show a single broad band, which has been assigned to the 2B 1g → 2B 2g transition of the Cu 2+ ions. The variation in the intensity of optical absorption with the ionic radius of the alkaline earth ion has been explained based on the Coulombic forces. By correlating the EPR and optical absorption spectral data, the nature of the in-plane σ bonding between Cu 2+ ion and the ligands is estimated. From the fundamental ultraviolet absorption edges of the glasses, the optical energy gap ( E opt) and the Urbach energy (Δ E) are evaluated. The variation in E opt and Δ E is explained based on the number of defect centers in the glass.