Reddish-orange emissions from Sm3+ doped zinc alumino borosilicate glasses: A correlative study on structural, thermal, and optical properties

Abstract

The present study investigates the structural, thermal, and optical properties of Sm3+-doped Zinc Alumino Borosilicate (ZABS) glasses obtained through the melt-quenching method. The prepared glasses clearly exhibit an amorphous nature confirmed by XRD analysis. Through FTIR studies, the vibrations of metal cations, B2O3, SiO2, Al2O3 network groups and OH groups were analysed. This study helps to determine the bridging and non-bridging oxygen quantity in glass structures including Sm2O3. Through differential thermal studies, the thermal stability factor and its related calculations were carried out. Glasses showed a thermal stability (ΔT) value > 100 °C. Absorption spectra of the glasses showed thirteen peaks emerged from the lower ground state 6H5/2. The bonding parameter calculation showed that the glasses exhibit ionic bonding. The Judd-Ofelt (J-O) parameters followed the same trend Ω4 >Ω2> Ω6 for the synthesized glasses. The bandgap values of the glasses decrease with higher content of NBOs in the glass network, and the Urbach energy (EU) increases. The luminescence spectra of the glasses show four emission peaks such that the intense emission is seen at transition 4G5/2 → 6H7/2 at 599 nm. The radiative parameters calculation showed that Sm3+- 0.5 mol% glass has a higher emission cross section (σse) and transition probability (AR). Decay curves were recorded for all the glasses that show single exponential behavior with extended lifetimes (ms). Glasses produce reddish-orange emissions under 402 nm excitation and the values of correlated color temperature (CCT) lie in the range of 1500–1600 K. Overall, the prepared Sm3+-doped ZABS glasses act as a good candidate for luminescent display applications and laser materials.