Effect of Gd3+ on optical and thermal properties of tellurite glass

Authors

• M. N. Azlan ¹
• C. Eevon ²
• M. K. Halimah ²
• Raouf El‑Mallawany * ³

1. Physics Department, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Sultan Idris Education University, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia
2. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
3. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt.

Abstract

AbstractThe study of optical and thermal properties of gadolinium oxide-doped tellurite glass was studied for the first time to the best of our knowledge. Gadolinium oxide-doped tellurite glass system with chemical formula (1 − x)[(TeO2)70(B2O3)30]-x(Gd2O3) with x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 mol% was prepared by the melt-quenching technique. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy and EL X-02 high-precision ellipsometer have been carried out. The thermal diffusivity of the amorphous material was studied using laser flash method. The microanalysis of major elements in the glass was examined by employing energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. The IR of the glass matrix denotes three obvious absorption bands which are assigned to TeO4, BO3 and BO4 vibrational groups. The addition of Gd ions enhances the refractive index of the tellurite glass. The optical band gap and Urbach energy were determined based on the absorption spectra. It is found that the Gd ions reduce the optical band gap energy. The thermal diffusivity of the glass samples follows nonlinear trend with the concentration of Gd ions. Electronic polarizability, optical basicity and metallization criterion have been calculated for every glass composition. Based on these results, the proposed materials have high potential to be applied in photonic materials.

Keywords

• Thermal
• Glasses
• Rare earth
• Tellurite
• Optical.