Structural and luminescence properties of Eu3+, Dy3+ and Tb3+ ions in lead germanate glasses obtained by conventional high-temperature melt-quenching technique

The subject of this paper is the structural and luminescence properties of selected rare earth ions in lead germanate glasses. Glasses were obtained by conventional high-temperature melt-quenching technique. Europium, dysprosium and terbium ions were chosen as active dopants. The spectroscopic parameters for Eu3+, Dy3+ and Tb3+ ions were determined based on excitation and emission measurements as well as luminescence decay analysis. Especially, the luminescence intensity ratios R/O (Eu3+), Y/B (Dy3+) and G/B (Tb3+) were calculated. Luminescence lifetimes for 5D0 state of Eu3+ ions, 4F9/2 state of Dy3+ ions and 5D4 state of Tb3+ ions were also determined. The amorphous nature and local structure of the studied lead germanate glass systems was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.

► Fully amorphous and transparent Ln-doped lead germanate glasses were obtained.
► Local structure of rare-earth doped lead germanate glasses was examined.
► Optical properties of Eu3+, Dy3+ and Tb3+ ions in lead germanate glasses were tested.
► Spectroscopic parameters for rare earths in lead germanate glass were determined.
► Luminescence decays curves of the investigated glasses had been studied.