Spectroscopic investigations and luminescence spectra of Sm 3+ doped soda lime silicate glasses

Abstract

Sm 3+ doped soda lime silicate glasses co-doped with As 2O 3 were prepared and characterised by measuring their absorption spectra in UV-VIS/NIR regions and luminescence spectra in the visible region. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters, Ω λ, were evaluated from the measured intensities of the various absorption bands. Ω λ parameters of these glasses were compared with the Ω λ parameters of other reported Sm 3+ glasses to study the bonding environment surrounding the Sm 3+ in the present glasses. Presence of [AsO 4] 3– tetrahedra in the second coordination sphere around the central Sm 3+ ion made these glasses less covalent as compared to other oxide glasses but the ratio Ω 4/ Ω 6 of the ∼1.83 indicated them to be fairly stable. With the help of Ω λ parameters and luminescence data for various emission lines, radiative properties for different emission lines were calculated. The values of radiative properties indicated that 4G 5/2→ 6H 7/2 and 4G 5/2→ 6H 9/2 transitions responsible for orange luminescence might be used in the development of materials for LED's and other optical devices in the visible region.