Silver nanoparticles assisted spectral features enhancement of Samarium-Zinc-Tellurite glass

Abstract

Achieving the enhanced optical properties of rare earth doped inorganic glasses by embedding metallic nanoparticles (NPs) is ever-demanding in photonics. Optimized doping of NPs and subsequent thorough characterizations for improved absorption and emission are the key issues for lasing glasses. We inspect the influence of silver (Ag) NPs inclusion on the optical properties of Sm3+ doped zinc-sodium tellurite glasses having composition 65TeO2-25ZnO-10Na2O- (0.15 gram)Sm2O3-(y)AgCl, where y = 0, 0.03, 0.075, 0.12 and 0.18 gram (in excess). Glass samples are prepared using melt quenching technique and characterized via ultraviolet visible near infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The presence of NPs is verified from TEM images and the amorphous nature is confirmed from XRD pattern. The UV-Vis- NIR spectra revealing six absorption peaks centered at 472, 943, 1089, 1237, 1392, and 1491 nm are assigned to 6H5/2→4I11/2, 6F11/2, 6F9/2, 6F7/2, 6F5/2, 6F3/2 transitions, respectively. PL spectra exhibit two emission bands located at 599 nm (4G5/2→6H7/2) and 643 nm (6H9/2). The observed enhancement in PL intensity is attributed to the highly localized electric field of Ag NPs positioned in the vicinity of Sm3+ ion. The mechanism of enhancement is identified, analyzed, and understood. The admirable features of our results are highly beneficial for solidstate laser and optical device fabrication.