Structure and nonlinear optical studies of Au nanoparticles embedded in lead lanthanum borate glass

•PbO–La2O3–B2O3 glass doped with Au nanoparticles was prepared by melt quenching method.•TEM image reveals spherical Au nanoparticles, which are 2–9 nm in diameter.•The non-linear (NLO) optical properties have been carried out for these glasses.•These glasses find potential use in optical limiting devices due their RSA behavior.•The lead lanthanum borate glass is a good nonlinear optical host matrix.

Metal nanoparticles of gold in various proportions were prepared by melt-quenching technique without any assistance of reducing agent. X-ray absorption near edge structure analysis shows that measurements at the Au L3 edge were made on lanthanum lead borate doped with gold. X-ray absorption near edge structure shows that the oxidation state of Au and the analysis show the presence of gold nanoparticles. Electron microscopy and energy dispersive absorption X-ray spectroscopy confirm the size of Au nanoparticle inside the lead lanthanum borate glass. Nonlinear optical studies of Au doped oxide glass are performed using nanosecond laser pulse excitation. Z-scan experiments with 532 nm wave-length pulses are used to excite glass samples which show that optical limiting effect of these as-prepared glasses doped with Au nanoparticle was also studied.