Structure and Properties of Colored Glasses

Abstract

The color of glass is simply the consequence of the absorption and emission of the electron clouds of its constituent ions. In other words: If a glass is irradiated by white light, mobile electrons of the outer electron shells of certain ions accept energy of a certain wavelength, while the remaining light, now deficient in certain components, no longer passes as white, but rather as colored residual light. A portion of the incident light is converted to thermal vibration; another part, however, contributes to the passing light by emission. This emission is caused by the return of excited electrons to their original level. This part does not conform exactly to the wavelength of the light absorbed.