Concentration dependent spectroscopic properties of Sm3+ doped borophosphate glasses

•Lower ΔE values indicate that the title glasses possess minimum defects and less disorderliness.•Lower Ω2 and intensity ratio confirm that Sm3+ ions are located in a higher symmetrical environment.•4G5/2 → 6H7/2 transition of ZSBP0.5Sm glass exhibit higher A  , βR,σPE,σPE×Δλeff useful for visible lasers.•x, y coordinates of the title glasses were located in the reddish-orange region of CIE 1931 diagram.•Energy transfer process occurs between the Sm3+ ions is mainly due to dipole–dipole interactions.

A new series of Sm3+ doped borophosphate glasses 50B2O3 + 20Li2CO3 + 10ZnO + 9SrCO3 + (11 − x)P2O5 + xSm2O3 (x = 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 in wt%) have been prepared by following melt quenching technique. The structural and optical properties of the prepared glasses were characterized through XRD, FTIR, absorption, luminescence and decay spectral measurements. The XRD spectrum exhibit broad diffusion at lower angles which reveal the amorphous nature and the presence of various functional groups such as POP bonds, BO vibrations in BO3 units and POH and BOH bonds in the title glasses were confirmed through the FTIR spectra. The nature of the metal–ligand bonding and the electronic band structure has been investigated using the absorption spectra. The Judd–Ofelt (JO) intensity parameters (Ω2, Ω4 and Ω6) were evaluated from the JO theory using the refractive index and the experimental oscillator strength values. The emission spectra exhibit four emission bands in the visible region corresponding to the 4G5/2 → 6H5/2, 4G5/2 → 6H7/2, 4G5/2 → 6H9/2 and 4G5/2 → 6H11/2 transitions by monitoring an excitation wavelength at 403 nm. The emission spectra have been characterized through Commission International de I’Eclairage (CIE) 1931 chromaticity diagram to explore the dominant emission from the studied glasses. The radiative parameters such as transition probability (AR), branching ratios (βR  ) and stimulated emission cross-section (σPE) were obtained for the emission transitions using JO parameters and the results were discussed and compared with the reported literature.

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