Optical transmission quality and radiation protection relevance of TeO2-ZnO-Yb2O3-ZnCl glass system

Abstract

Tellurite glasses are known to present attributes which makes them attractive for optical and radiation shielding functions. This study presents the optical and γ-radiation absorption quantities of (89-x)TeO2 -xZnCl-10ZnO-Yb2O3 (for 0 ≤ x ≤ 30 mol. % in steps of 10 mol. % and coded as TZZCY1-TZZCY4 accordingly). The optical characteristics of the glasses were determined through the estimation and analysis of optical quantities such as the molar volume, molar refractivity, molar polarizability, reflection-loss, optical-transmission, metallization-criterion, static dielectric constant and the optical dielectric constant. The mass attenuation coefficient MAC of the glasses was estimated for energy E in the range 0.015≤E≤15 MeV through XCOM computation and photon transmission simulation by PHITS. The gamma ray shielding competence of the glasses was analysed through the computed mass attenuation coefficient, the linear attenuation coefficient, effective atomic number, mean free path, and half-value layer HVL. The molar refractivity, molar polarizability, reflection loss, static dielectric constant, and optical dielectric constant, all decline with increase in ZnCl2 content of the glasses while the optical transmission and metallization criterion increases. The addition and increase in the proportion of ZnCl2 compromised the photon-absorption ability of the TZZCY glasses although the optical transparency of the glasses was improved.