OPTICAL ABSORPTION AND STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF <font>Pr3+</font> DOPED CADMIUM BISMUTH BORATE GLASSES IN VISIBLE AND NEAR INFRARED REGIONS

Glasses having composition 20CdOxBi2O3(79.5-x)B2O30.5Pr6O11 with x varying from 15 to 35 mol% have been synthesized. Optical absorption and fluorescence spectra were measured at ambient temperature. A close correlation is observed between the Bi2O3 content and the spectroscopic properties such as Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Ωλ = (λ = 2, 4, 6) , radiative and structural properties of prepared glasses doped with Pr3+ ion. The variation of Ω2 with Bi2O3 content has been attributed to changes in the asymmetry of the ligand field at the rare earth (RE) ion site (due to structural change) and to changes in RE-O covalency, whereas the variation of Ω6 has been related to the variation in RE-O covalency. Following the luminescence spectra, various radiative properties like transition probability (Arad), radiative lifetime (τr), branching ratio (βr) and stimulated emission cross section (σ) have been calculated. The branching ratio for 3P0 → 3F2 transition of Pr3+ glass system arrive at 41 to 40%, respectively, and the predicted spontaneous radiative transition probability rates are high and varies from 14032 to 14864 s−1. In addition, the glass stability is improved in which the substitution of B2O3 for Bi2O3 strengthens the glass network structure. The bismuth based glass as a host for Pr3+ ion doped suggesting their suitability for laser applications.