Synthesis and spectral analysis of Sm:BaB4O7 microfibers embedded in borate glass

The present article reports synthesis and spectroscopic analysis of Sm:BaB4O7 microfibers embedded in borate glass. Structural analysis, using TEM, XRD techniques, revealed the formation of fibre shaped BaB4O7 crystals. A bright red dominated orange-red emission was observed, on 355 nm and 532 nm excitations, in ceramic sample. Higher emission and absorption higher cross-sections were observed in the ceramic sample than its glass counterpart. We have monitored 45% enhancement in emission intensity ratio (4G5/2→6H9/2/G5/2→6H5/2) in glass-ceramic sample due to significant increment in electric dipole transition. Time resolved analysis explored a significant alteration in the excited state relaxation process due to annealing. Several radiative parameters like stimulated emission cross-section, branching ratio, quantum efficiency etc. were estimated to explore lasing possibility in glass and ceramic samples. We found that the quantum efficiency increases from 60.4% in glass to 62.7% in Sm:BaB4O7 microfibers embedded in glass.