Optical studies of lanthanum oxide doped phosphate glasses

Abstract

Phosphate glasses are special class of optical glasses composed with metaphosphate of different metals. When rare earth elements are added to glass matrix as dopant, it improves glass melting and also enhances some unique glass properties. Lanthanum oxide doped Phosphate glass system were prepared with melt quenching method. The effect of different concentration (0.5% & 1.5%) of La2O3 on electrical, structural and optical properties of phosphate glasses have been studied. The FTIR studies shows, in 0.5% of La2O3 doped phosphate glass, sharp peaks were observed with high intensity values. The absence of crystalline structure in the prepared phosphate glasses were confined by both Raman and XRD studies. With the addition of La2O3 to P2O5, the phosphate glasses alters its structure from cross-linked network to chain network.The absence of crystalline structure in the prepared phosphate glasses were confined by both Raman and XRD studies. According to the Raman spectra, there is a corresponding decrease in the number of Q2 units with increasing lanthanum oxide content with the addition of La2O3 to P2O5, the phosphate glasses alters its structure from cross-linked network to chain network.