Formation, structural and optical characterization of neodymium doped-zinc soda lime silica based glass

New glass system of neodymium - doped zinc soda lime silica glass has been synthesized for the first time by melt-quenching of glass waste soda lime silica (SLS) with zinc oxide (ZnO) as precursor glass and Nd2O3 as dopant. In order to examine the effect of Nd3+ on the structural and optical properties, the prepared sample of structure [(ZnO)(0.5)(SLS)(0.5)](Nd2O3) x (x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 wt%) was characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and the photoluminescence (PL). XRD pattern justifies the amorphous nature of synthesized glasses. FTIR spectroscopy has been used to observe the structural evolution of ZnO4 and SiO4 groups. The UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectra reveals seven peaks centered at excitation of electron from ground state I-4(9/2) to D-4(3/2) + D-4(5/2) (similar to 360 nm), (2)G(9/2) + D-2(3/2) + P-2(3/2)(similar to 470 nm), K-2(13/2) + (4)G(7/2) + (4)G(9/2) (similar to 523 nm), (4)G(5/2) + (2)G(7/2) (similar to 583 nm), F-4(9/2) (similar to 678 nm), S-4(3/2) + F-4(7/2) (similar to 748 nm) and F-4(5/2) + H-2(9/2) (similar to 801 nm). PL spectra under the excitation of 800 nm display four emission bands centered at 531 nm, 598 nm, 637 nm and 671 nm corresponding to (4)G(7/2) -> I-4(9/2), ((4)G(7/2) -> I-4(11/2), (4)G(5/2) -> I-4(9/2)), ((4)G(5/2) -> I-4(11/2)) and ((4)G(7/2) -> I-4(13/2), (4)G(5/2) -> I-4(11/2)) respectively. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.