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The 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.

New glass samples with composition (1 – x)[(TeO2)70(B2O3)30] – x(Gd2O3) with x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 in mol% have been synthesized by conventional melt-quenching techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were performed in order to confirm the amorphous nature of the samples. The density of the samples has been found to vary with the Gd2O3 content, whereas an opposite trend has been observed in the molar volume. The analysis of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy of the samples showed that the glass network is mainly built of TeO3, TeO4, BO3 and BO4 units. The addition of Gd2O3 changed the refractive index, optical band gap and Urbach energy of the glass samples. The thermal properties of the studied glasses were investigated by measuring the thermal diffusivity of the samples by using photoflash method at room temperature.

Quaternary Gd2O3 NPs doped zinc borotellurite (TeO2-B2O3-ZnO-Gd2O3 NPs) glass system were fabricated using conventional melt-quenching method with composition {[(TeO2)70(B2O3)30]70(ZnO)30}1-x(Gd2O3 NPs)x (x = 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 mol%). The physical, structural and elastic properties of the glass samples were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to confirm the amorphousity of the samples. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated the presence of TeO3, TeO4, BO3 and BO4 structural units within the glass matrix. The presence of Gd2O3 NPs was proven from Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The density and molar volume showed anomalous behavior. The elastic properties of the glass system were characterized by using pulse-echo technique. The longitudinal and shear ultrasonic velocities vary from 3883 to 4042 m/s and 2265 to 2282 m/s, respectively. The observed change in the ultrasonic velocities imply that there are substantial change in the structure of the vitreous network. The experimental elastic moduli (longitudinal modulus (L), shear modulus (G), bulk modulus (K) and Young's modulus (E)) increases from 68.77 to 79.45 GPa, 23.40 to 26.68 GPa, 37.56 to 48.25 GPa and 58.13 to 66.55 GPa, respectively. The increase in elastic moduli of the glass system indicates that the strength and rigidity of the glass increase. The experimental elastic moduli were correlated and compared with the theoretically calculated elastic moduli using Makishima-Mackenzie and Bond Compression model.

Comparative analysis on optical properties between two glass series (a—ordinary glass, b—glass with nanoparticles) have been estimated. The two glass series (a—ordinary glass, b—glass with nanoparticles) with compositions {[(TeO2)0.70 (B2O3)0.30]0.70 (ZnO)0.30}1−y (Er2O3/Er2O3 nanoparticles)y; y = 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05 mol% were successfully prepared by using melt-quenching method. The TEM, EDX and XRD have been used to confirm the existence of nanoparticles and all elements in the glass system. The density of b—glass with nanoparticles are found greater than a—ordinary glass. The optical properties of the glass series were characterized by using Ellipsometer and UV–Vis spectrophotometer. There is a linear increasing trend in refractive index of the glass series along with concentration of erbium and erbium nanoparticles oxide. The refractive index of b—glass with nanoparticles is greater than a—ordinary glass. Moreover, the absorption peaks of a—ordinary glass are more intense than b—glass with nanoparticles. The glass with nanoparticles will offer a potential materials for nanophotonic devices.

Recently, the rapid growth in photonic field has increased the demand for nonlinear materials with higher performance and greater efficiency. Hence, a thorough investigation on the nonlinear optical properties of materials are essential and need to be done for possible future application of the material in photonic field as optical limiting or optical switching devices. Thus, through this research, the crucial parameters in nonlinear optical properties of zinc borotellurite glasses doped with lanthanum oxide and lanthanum nanoparticles were studied and investigated extensively. The two series of glasses were successfully fabricated via conventional melt-quenching technique. The fabricated samples were characterized by using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy as well as Z-scan technique in order to study the structural and nonlinear optical properties of the glass systems. The existence of various amount of TeO4, TeO3, BO4 and BO3 in all the prepared glasses are proven through the observable absorption bands in the FTIR spectra. Inconsistent trends recorded for both nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index might be associated with the simultaneous creation of bridging as well as nonbridging oxygen which eventually affect the values for both parameters. The figure of merit of the prepared glasses with values ranging from 0.055 to 0.267 which are smaller than one hints that the glass materials possess potential to be employed as all optical devices. 0.03 M fraction of lanthanum nanoparticles doped zinc borotellurite with FOM value larger than 1 has proven the ability of the respective glass to be employed as efficient all optical switching devices. The determined nonlinear optical parameters of the glasses should be able to provide sufficient and useful information on the fabricated glass samples for future application in photonic field.