Integration Between Optical and Structural Behavior of Heavy Metal Oxide Glasses Doped with Multiple Glass Formers

Abstract

Heavy metal oxide glasses (composition 60 PbO, 20 Bi2O3 mol%) and containing 20 mol% conventional glass formers SiO2, B2O3, and P2O5 were prepared. Combined optical and Fourier transform infrared absorption spectra were measured for the prepared glasses to justify the role of glass formers in the optical spectra together with the network structural groups in such glasses. Also, the density and molar volume values were calculated to obtain some insight on the compactness and arrangement in the network. Optical measurements have been used to determine the optical band gap (Eg), Urbach energy (ΔE) and the refractive index (n). Optical spectra of all the samples reveal strong UV absorption which is related to the presence of unavoidable trace iron impurities (Fe 3+ ions) contaminated within the raw materials which were used for the preparation of the studied glasses. Additional near visible bands are observed in all prepared glasses due to characteristic absorption of Pb 2+ and Bi 3+ ions. Furthermore, The variations of the luminescence intensity, values of the optical band gap, band tail, and refractive index can be understood and related in terms of the structural changes that take place in the glass samples. The infrared absorption spectra of the prepared glasses show characteristic absorption bands related to the borate or silicate or phosphate network (BO3, BO4, SiO4, PO4 groups) together with vibrational modes due to Bi-O and Pb-O groups.