Thermal, structural and spectroscopic properties of Pr3+-doped lead zinc borate glasses modified by alkali metal ions

This paper offers a study on Pr3+-doped alkali and mixed-alkali borate glasses prepared by the melt quenching technique and characterized by thermal, structural and spectroscopic studies. The amorphous nature of the glassy systems was identified based on X-ray diffraction. The thermal behaviour of glasses was studied using differential thermal analysis (DTA). The functional groups contained in the glasses were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Spectral intensities were evaluated from the absorption spectra and used for calculating J–O intensity parameters, Ωλ (λ = 2, 4 and 6). Further, these parameters were used for calculating different radiative properties. The best radiative state was identified as the laser transition state among the various states. Emission analysis was performed for this state by calculating the branching ratios and stimulated emission cross sections (σp) for all the prepared glasses. These studies suggest that borate glasses are useful for visible fluorescence.