Spectroscopic attributes of Sm3+ doped magnesium zinc sulfophosphate glass: Effects of silver nanoparticles inclusion

We report the modified optical properties of Sm3+ doped magnesium zinc sulfophosphate glass system with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) inclusion. Three glass samples were prepared using melt quenching method and characterized. TEM images revealed the nucleation of Ag NPs with average diameter ≈12.50 nm. The UV-Vis-NIR spectra showed thirteen absorption bands. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band of Ag NPs was manifested at 446 nm. FTIR spectra disclosed the bonding vibrations for P-O bonds, P-O-P linkages, and PO2 units. Ag NPs concentration dependent bonding parameters and Judd-Ofelt (JO) intensity parameters were calculated. The JO parameter Ω2 was reduced with the increase of Ag NPs contents, indicating the ionicity and symmetry enhancement between Sm3+ ions with their surrounding ligands. The emission spectra of all samples under the excitation wavelength of 402 nm exhibited four significant peaks centered at 562, 599, 644 and 702 nm which are allocated to 4G5/2→6H5/2, 6H7/2, 6H9/2 and 6H11/2 transitions, respectively. Inclusion of Ag NPs was discerned to augment the luminescence intensity by a factor of two, which was majorly ascribed to the local field effect of Ag NPs and subsequent energy transfer from the NPs to Sm3+ ions.