Optical properties of Eu3+ & Tb3+ ions doped alkali oxide (Li2O/ Na2O/ K2O) modified boro phosphate glasses for red, green lasers and display device applications

In this article we report on alkali oxide modified borophosphate glasses doped with Eu3+ and Tb3+ ions, with the chemical composition of 69.5 B2O3 + 10P(2)O(5) + 10CaF(2) + 5 Li2O+ 5ZnO+ R+ 0.5 Eu2O3 [where R = 5 (LiO2/Na2O/K2O)] have been prepared by conventional melt quenching technique, and the spectroscopic properties of the prepared glasses have been studied by XRD, Optical absorption, excitation and emission spectral analysis. XRD spectrum of the glasses have shown the amorphous nature of the glasses. The red emission corresponding to D-5(0) -> F-7(2) (613 nm) transition was observed under the excitation of 394 nm wavelength, corresponding to Eu3+ ions, for all the prepared glasses. For Eu3+ ion doped glasses, emission bands were observed, such as; D-5(1) -> F-7(1) (538 nm), D-5(0) -> F-7(0) (580 nm), D-5(0) -> F-7(1) (592 nm), D-5(0) -> F-7(2) (613 nm), D-5(0) -> F-7(3) (613 nm) and D-5(0) -> F-7(4) (702 nm) are identified. In the case of Tb3+ ion doped glasses, four emission lines were observed, such as D-5(4) -> (F-7(6), F-7(5), F-7(4)), which are located at 489 nm, 545 nm and 585 nm, respectively, after the samples were excited with 376 nm ultraviolet source. The green emission corresponding to D-5(4) -> F-7(5) (543 nm) transition was observed under excitation wavelength 376 nm of the Tb3+ ions for all the prepared glasses. For all these emission bands, the decay curves were recorded to evaluate the emission life times. The mechanism underlying the observed emission from the glasses was explained in terms of energy levels.