Diffraction studies of rare-earth phosphate glasses

A series of lanthanide oxides was incorporated in a vitreous phosphate host network. Molar constituents of the glasses were typically (La2O3)10(RxOy)10(Al2O3)5(P2O5)75. Each glass had a different lanthanide (R atom) from the series; La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and the values of x and y depended on the valency of the rare-earth atom. Both X-ray and neutron diffraction were employed in examining their structures. The results indicate that the basic PO4 tetrahedral unit remains unaltered with an average P–O distance of 1.54±0.02 A and predominant Q2 linkages to its neighbouring units so as to form a continuous network while accommodating the included lanthanides. In accordance with this model, the average distance of rare-earth (comprising La and a second type of R atom) to oxygen decreased from 2.44 to 2.26 A, a trend to be expected from the lanthanide contraction. The average oxygen coordination around the rare-earth was found to vary in the range of 6–8. With these average parameters, a small (74 atom) hand-built model was made to check the feasibility of constructing a continuous random network. Optical transmission measurements show all these glasses to absorb strongly in the UV region and to have marked absorption resonances in the visible region of 400–1000 nm except for the La, Ce, Eu, Tb containing glasses which have low or negligible absorption in the latter range.