title: Optical spectroscopy of Sm(3+) doped Na2O-ZnO-La2O3-TeO2 glasses.
abstract: Telluride glasses with the composition xSm2O3-(7-x)La2O3-3Na2O-25ZnO-65TeO2 (where x=0.1, 1, 2, 5 and 7 mol%) were obtained by the melt quenching technique. Electronic absorption and fluorescence spectra as well as fluorescence dynamics of the Sm(3+)-doped title glasses are presented and analysed in detail. A Judd-Ofelt intensity analysis of the absorption spectrum at 300 K has been applied for determination of Ωλ parameters (Ω2=3.10, Ω4=3.80, Ω6=1.61×10(-20) cm(2)) which in turn have been used for calculations of the radiative transition probabilities (AT), the natural (radiative) lifetimes (τR) of the (4)G5/2 level of Sm(3+), the fluorescence branching ratios (β) and the emission cross-sections (σem). The τR value of the (4)G5/2 level amount to 1546 μs and is slightly higher than the measured decay time of 1306 μs. With the increasing of Sm2O3 concentration from 0.1 to 7.0 mol% the experimental lifetime of the fluorescent level decreases from 1306 to 41 μs. An analysis of the non-radiative decay was based on the cross-relaxation mechanisms. The optical achieved results indicate that the investigated glasses are potentially applicable as an orange and/or red laser host.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, ul. F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland. Electronic address: marcin.sobczyk@chem.uni.wroc.pl.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobczyk
keywords: Judd–Ofelt theory; Laser materials; Optical properties; Sm(3+); Telluride glasses