Spectroscopic investigations and luminescence spectra of Sm3+ doped soda lime silicate glasses

Sm3+ doped soda lime silicate glasses co-doped with As2O3 were prepared and characterised by measuring their absorption spectra in UV-VIS/NIR regions and luminescence spectra in the visible region. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters, Ωλ, were evaluated from the measured intensities of the various absorption bands. Ωλ parameters of these glasses were compared with the Ωλ parameters of other reported Sm3+ glasses to study the bonding environment surrounding the Sm3+ in the present glasses. Presence of [AsO4]3– tetrahedra in the second coordination sphere around the central Sm3+ ion made these glasses less covalent as compared to other oxide glasses but the ratio Ω4/Ω6 of the ∼1.83 indicated them to be fairly stable. With the help of Ωλ parameters and luminescence data for various emission lines, radiative properties for different emission lines were calculated. The values of radiative properties indicated that 4G5/2→6H7/2 and 4G5/2→6H9/2 transitions responsible for orange luminescence might be used in the development of materials for LED's and other optical devices in the visible region.