Optical enhancement of samarium erbium co-doped zinc tellurite glass without and with silver nanoparticles incorporation

Abstract

This thesis reported the influence of pure silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) on the improvement of optical properties of samarium (Sm3+) and erbium (Er3*) ion co-doped oxy-zinc-tellurite glass. To achieve this goal, a series of glass samples with composition 63.75 T e02 + 20 ZnO + 15 ZnCk + 0.75 Sm20 3 + 0.5 Er20 3 + y Ag (0.01 Qi > &6 trend. The highest value of estimated quality factor is 6848.44 for the glass system containing 0.05 g of Ag NPs. The radiative parameters including average electric dipole, branching ratio and radiative lifetime were also computed to support the evidence of Ag NPs impact on optical properties. The values of branching ratios for the Sm3+ ions transitions of 4F3/2 -> 6H5/2 , 4G5/2 -> 6H7/2 , 4G5/2 ->¦ 6Ho/2 , 4Gs/2 -? 6Hn/2, 4G5/2 -+ 6Hi3/2 and 4G5/2 — 4F 1/2 were found to vary from 0.19 to 99.98%. The luminescence spectra under 488 nm excitation manifested six significant peaks located at 524, 550, 597, 640, 669 and 705 nm which are assigned to the transition of 4F3/2—>6H5/2 , 4G5/2—> 6H7/2 ,4G5/2—>6H9/2 , 4G5/2 *6Hi 1/2 , 4Gs/2 —> 6Hi3/2 and 4Gs/2 —> 4F i/2 respectively. The emission peak intensities revealed significant enhancement due to the embedded Ag NPs into the tellurite host. The results were analyzed, discussed and compared.