Zero stress-optic bismuth oxide-based glass

Abstract

In order to test the prediction that Bi2O3 could function as a replacement for PbO in preparing glass with zero stress-optic response, a series of bismuth boroaluminosilicate glasses of the form Bi2O3x(0.86B2O3-0.10SiO2-0.04Al2O3)1−x were prepared. These glasses were then subjected to structural characterization and optical analysis. 11B and 27Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and optical absorption spectroscopy were used to track the structural evolution of the glasses across the series, while the Sénarmont method was employed to determine the stress-optic coefficient. Experiments indicated a zero stress-optic composition containing roughly 59mol% Bi2O3. Various model glass structures were evaluated in the context of our previous model involving bond lengths and coordination numbers, and it was found that the prediction of this model was reasonable but that the elasto-optic response of the Bi-O bonds appears to be weak compared to that in Pb-O bonds.