Thermal, structural and optical properties of Er3Â + doped phosphate glasses containing silver nanoparticles

The melt-quenching method is employed to prepare the amorphous phosphate glasses containing silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The structural characteristics of phosphate glasses were investigated by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, Raman, and infrared spectroscopy. The transmission electron microscopic images confirm the presence of spherical silver NPs having an average diameter in the range of 20-40 nm. The EDX analysis spectrum shows the presence of Ag element. Important structural changes induced by the Ag2CO3 addition to the phosphate glass, Raman- and IR-spectroscopic studies were carried out in order to correlate the variations in the glass properties with variations of the glass structure. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of silver nanoparticles embedded in Er3 + doped phosphate glass is evidenced at ~ 403 nm. From the absorption spectra, the optical band gap is found to decrease with the increase of Ag NPs' concentration. All the obtained results in the present study were reported and discussed in detail.