Effect of ZnO Addition and of Alpha Particle Irradiation on Various Properties of Er3+, Yb3+ Doped Phosphate Glasses

New Er3+, Yb3+ codoped phosphate glasses with the (98-x) (0.50P2O5-0.40SrO-0.10Na2O) -0.5Er2O3-1.5Yb2O3-xZnO (in mol %) composition were prepared by melting process with up to 10 mol % of ZnO. The impact of the changes in the glass composition on the thermal, optical, structural properties was investigated. Using IR and Raman spectroscopies, we confirmed that the addition of ZnO up to 10 mol % leads to a depolymerization of the network without having a significant impact on the Er3+ and Yb3+ sites. We also discuss the effect of alpha particles irradiation. The glass with 2.5 mol % of ZnO was irradiated with 3 MeV alpha particles and a total fluence of 1012 α/cm2. After irradiation, this glass exhibits surface expansion (measured at ~200 nm, 1.5 months after the irradiation) and an increase in the surface roughness. The alpha particles irradiation is suspected to lead to changes in the spectroscopic properties of the glass. Finally, the photo-response of the glass was found to be reversible.