Luminescence properties of erbium doped sodium barium borate glass with silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Alteration in the absorption features of rare earth (RE) doped glasses with silver nanoparticles is ever-challenging in photonics. Erbium (Er3+) doped glasses with composition (60-x-y)B2O3-30Na2CO3-10BaO-xEr2O3-yAgCl where (x=0.5, 1.0 and y=1.0 mol %) are synthesized using melt-quenching method. The density is determined by Archimedes principle and molar volumes are calculated. Glass samples were characterized by XRD and UV-Visible spectroscopy. UV-Visible spectra shows eleven prominent absorption peaks centred around 366, 378, 408, 442, 452, 489, 521, 547, 652, 800 and 977 nm equivalent to the rare earth (Er3+) ion transitions. The sample without rare earth shows no peaks which specifies that rare earth ion plays a spirited role in the glass matrix. The glass samples with silver and without rare earth ion shows plasmon peak on heat treatment. The energy band gap values calculated for direct and indirect transitions are in the range of 3.126-3.440eV and 2.58-3.177eV respectively. The refractive indices and Urbach energies are also determined. Photoluminescence spectra are recorded and studied for excitation of the most intense peaks of wavelengths 378 and 521nm. The luminescence of erbium ion is enhanced by the presence of silver when the concentration of rare earth ion is less than that of silver.