Waveguide laser potency of samarium doped BaSO4-TeO2-B2O3 glasses: Evaluation of structural and optical qualities

Abstract

A series of samarium ions (Sm3+) doped barium-sulfur-telluro-borate glasses of composition (70-x)B2O3-15BaSO4-15TeO2-xSm2O3 (x ranged from 0.0 to 2.5 mol%) was prepared by melt-quenching method and examined via diverse analytical tools. Influence of changing Sm3+ doping contents on the structures and optical attributes of the proposed glasses was determined. The XRD pattern of as-quenched samples verified their glassy states. The FTIR spectra displayed the vibrational modes of tellurites and borates functional groups in the corresponding range of 460–850 cm−1 and 700–1650 cm−1. The EDX elemental maps confirmed the homogeneous distribution of the traced elements in the glass matrix. The UV–Vis–NIR absorption spectra of glasses exhibited nine distinct bands compatible with the transition from lower 6H5/2 state to the excited 6P3/2, 4I11/2, 6F11/2, 6F9/2, 6F7/2, 6F5/2, 6F3/2, 6H15/2 and 6F1/2 states of Sm3+. The photoluminescence spectra showed four emission bands allotted to magnetic dipole 4G5/2 → 6H5/2 (moderate green at 562 nm), electric dipole dominated 4G5/2 → 6H7/2 (intense orange at 598 nm), electric dipole 4G5/2 → 6H9/2 (moderate red at 645 nm) and 4G5/2 → 6H11/2 (weak red at 703 nm) transitions in Sm3+, respectively. Glasses containing Sm2O3 contents above 1.0 mol% disclosed luminescence intensity quenching. Evaluated Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Ω2, Ω4, and Ω6 were discerned to range from 1.48 × 10−20–4.2 × 10−20 cm2, 2.31 × 10−20–4.31 × 10−20 cm2 and 1.26 × 10−20–1.99 × 0−20 cm2 respectively. Furthermore, the lifetime of the samples decreases with increase in Sm3+ contents as unraveled by decay curve analysis. The achieved excellent spectroscopic properties of the proposed glass composition suggested their effectiveness as visible laser for waveguide applications.