Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters of samarium-doped magnesium zinc sulfophosphate glass

Highligths
• The PL spectra displayed four prominent emission bands centered at about 562, 599, 644 and 702 nm with intensity quenching beyond 1.5 mol% of Sm3 + ion.
• The calculated JO parameters revealed the trend of Ω2 > Ω4 > Ω6 for all the glasses.
• The observed highest values of JO transition parameters for 4G5/2 →6H9/2 transition for glass systems suggest that the present composition is potential as laser active medium.
• The high variation in Ω2 compare to Ω4, and Ω6 signifies its higher sensitiveness to the environment. The Ω2 parameter decreases as the Sm3 + ion concentration increases.
• The stimulated emission cross-section decreases with the increment of the Sm3+ ion concentration up to 1.5 mol% and being the maximum for lower concentration.

Achieving better performing glasses with modified optical properties for short-wavelength solid state lasers is demanding. Inspired by this fact, Samarium (Sm3 +)-doped glass of the magnesium zinc sulfophosphate system with composition (60-x)P2O5-20MgO-20ZnSO4-xSm2O3 (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mol%) was prepared using the melt-quenching technique. The samples are thoroughly characterized to determine the influence of varying Sm3 + ion contents on their spectral properties. UV–Vis-NIR spectra revealed the occurrence of several absorption bands corresponding to the transitions from the ground state to various excited states of the Sm3 + ion. Judd-Ofelt (JO) spectral analyses were carried out to determine the local structure and bonding in the vicinity of Sm3 + ions. The experimental oscillator strengths calculated from the absorption spectra are used to evaluate three phenomenological JO intensity parameters Ωi(i = 2, 4 and 6). The Sm3 + ions' assisted modification in the overall glass properties is ascribed to the alteration in glass network structures. Quantities such as radiative transition probabilities, radiative lifetime, branching ratios and stimulated emission cross-sections are calculated for the 4G5/2 → 6HJ (J = 5/2, 7/2, 9/2 and 11/2) transitions of Sm3 + ions. The PL spectra displayed four prominent emission bands centered at about 562, 599, 644 and 702 nm with intensity quenching beyond 1.5 mol% of Sm3 + ions. Our results are analyzed using various mechanisms and compared to previous reports. Our findings may be beneficial for the advancement of functional glasses.