Optical and electronic polarizability investigation of Nd 3+-doped soda-lime silicate glasses

Abstract

This paper reports on different physical and optical properties of Nd 3+-doped soda-lime silicate glass. The glasses containing Nd 3+ in (65− x)SiO 2:25Na 2O:10CaO: xNd 2O 3 (where x=0.0–5.0 mol%) have been prepared by the melt-quenching method. In order to understand the role of Nd 2O 3 in these glasses the density, molar volume, refractive index and optical absorption were investigated. The results show that the density and molar volume of the glasses increase with an increase in Nd 2O 3 concentration and consequently generate more non-bridging oxygen (NBOs) into glass matrix. The optical absorption spectra were measured in the wavelength range from 300 to 700 nm and the optical band gaps were determined. It was found that the optical band gap decreases with an increase in Nd 2O 3 concentration. On the basis of the measured values of density and refractive index, the Nd 3+ ion concentration in glasses, the polarizability of oxide ions and optical basicity were theoretically determined.