Effect of Nd2O3 and Na2O concentration on physical and spectroscopic properties of TeO2-Bi2O3-ZnO-Na2O-Nd2O3 glasses

Abstract

Two series of tellurite glasses with molar compositions of (55TeO2-2Bi2O3-(41-x) ZnO-2Na2O-xNd2O3 (x = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5) and 55TeO2-2Bi2O3-(41-x) ZnO-xNa2O-2Nd2O3 (x = 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0) were fabricated using melt quenching technique. Based on the measured densities, refractive indices and absorption spectra, physical and spectroscopic properties of these two-glass series are evaluated and compared. Whereas substitution of ZnO by Nd2O3 causes the values of density and refractive index increase, the substitution of ZnO by Na2O has been shown to impact the glass density and refractive index in the opposite manner. Molar volume of both series increases with an increase of either Nd2O3 or Na2O concentrations. In this regard, a dynamical model explaining the density and molar volume was proposed. Additionally, Judd-Ofelt theory was applied in order to predict the physical and laser properties of the two glasses series as a function of glass compositions, i.e., Judd-Ofelt parameters Ωt (t = 2, 4, 6), branching ratios (β), calculated lifetimes (τ), the emission to exited state absorption intensity ratio (A em/A ESA) and spectroscopic quality χ = Ω4/Ω6. Equations to relate χ with branching ratios for laser transitions 4F3/2 to 4IJ' (with J′ = 9/2, 11/2, 13/2 and 15/2) were also derived.