Structural and spectroscopic properties of samarium ions with the presence of silver and nickel metallic nanoparticles in sodium-phosphate glasses

Samarium (Sm3+) doped sodium-phosphate (CZNPSm) glasses with the incorporation of silver (CZNPSm-Ag) and nickel (CZNPSm-Ni) metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) were fabricated by the melt and rapid quenching process. The functional groups of the fabricated glasses were studied in the range of 350-4000 cm(-1) using the infrared spectra (FT-IR). A broad diffraction peak at 2 theta = 31.500 was determined by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), indicating an amorphous structure of the fabricated glasses. The absorption bands of Sm3+ ions were observed in the range of 300-1700 nm, while the absorption characteristics of Ag and Ni-MNPs were identified at 417 nm and 809 nm, respectively. The presence of Ag and Ni-MNPs with average particle sizes of 18 nm and 450 nm was studied by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The stimulation wavelength of 402 nm was converted into visible emission wavelengths of the present Sm3+-doped sodium-phosphate glasses at 561 nm, 597 nm, 643 nm, and 706 nm. In the current work, the addition of Ag and Ni-MNPs to the glass doped with Sm3+ ions decreases the reddish-orange ((4)G(5/2) -> H-6(7/2)) emission intensity by 36 % for CZNPSm-Ag and 56 % for CZNPSm-Ni glasses. Moreover, the effects of Ag and Ni-MNPs in Sm3+-doped glasses were investigated in terms of Judd-Ofelt intensity-radiative properties, luminescence decay, quantum efficiency, (x, y) color coordinates, CCT (relative color temperatures), and CP (color purity) to understand their potential application in reddish-orange emission for warm white-lighting devices.