Magneto-optical glass mixed with Tb3+ ions: High Verdet constant and luminescence properties

Abstract

Compared with crystal and transparent ceramics, magneto-optical glass is an attractive choice for applications in communication and larger power laser systems. However, the presence of rare-earth ions in magneto-optical glass can cause devitrification of the glass and require a higher melting temperature. This study aims to address these issues. High-temperature melting quenching technology was used to prepare highly transparent Tb3+ ion-doped GeO2-PbO-B2O3–SiO2 (GPBS) magneto-optical glass. Through XRD, FT-IR, DSC, chemical corrosion resistance, density test, UV–vis, fluorescence test, and Faraday rotation test, the effects of different Tb3+ ion concentrations on the thermal performance, chemical stability, structure, luminescence performance and magneto-optical performance of heavy metal oxide magneto-optic glass were studied. Notably, these glass materials exhibit high density, refractive index, optical basicity value, good thermal properties (101 °C), strong water and alkali resistance, excellent Faraday effect. The Verdet constants at different wavelengths also had notably high values. It was found that such glass has a strong green light emission at 544 nm, which demonstrates that this type of magneto-optical glass has broader application prospects in the preparation of laser elements and optoelectronic functional devices.