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.