Spectroscopy Study of Sm3+ Doped Fluorosilicate Glasses for Orange Emission Solid-State Device Application

Abstract

Glass samples with formula as Li2O–BaO–GdF3–SiO2:Sm2O3 were fabricated by melt quenching method. Their optical, physical and luminescence properties were studied, for their potential applications in photonic device working in visible region. The Sm3+ ions and nearby ligands bonding nature were determined from bonding parameters (δ) that in turn were calculated from LGF absorption spectra. Oscillator strength of different absorption bands and Judd–Ofelt (JO) parameters (Ωλ (λ = 2, 4, 6)) were measured. JO-parameters and refractive index have been used to valuate various radiative properties of Sm3+ ions emission transitions in prepared glasses to explore their potential application as visible lasers. Furthermore, the emission was studied by exciting the LGF glass samples with different wavelengths (λex = 275, 402 nm). The orange to red ratios at different wavelengths (λex = 275 nm and X-ray) were evaluated to measure the Sm3+-ions local disorder in the glass network. The decreasing trend in experimental decay time (τexp) with Sm3+-ion concentration increasing was observed due to energy transfer. Best fit for the prepared glass, when studied in the light of Inokuti–Hirayama model was obtained for S = 6 indicating dipole–dipole type of energy transfer. The intense visible (orange) emission, high stimulated emission cross-section (σe), branching ratios (βR), radiative transition probability (AR), and reasonable quantum efficiency were determined for transition from 4G5/2 to 6H7/2 in glass. This suggests Sm3+ doped glass shows potential use for development of devices (laser and photonic) working in visible (orange) region.