A study on the influence of geometric coordination of cobalt ions on the structural, physical and optical properties of borosilicate glass

This work explores the synthesis and characterization of cobalt oxide-added borosilicate glass using the melt- quenching technique. The glass system was investigated using various methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), density measurements, UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. XRD validated the glass's amorphous nature, while FTIR results indicated significant bonding alterations, showing a transition from BO3 to BO4 units and from B3-O-Si to B4-O-Si linkages. The increased glass density further supported the formation of BO4 units. XPS analysis verified the presence of Co2+ and Co3+ ions within the glass matrix. Optical absorption studies revealed distinct electronic transitions for Co2+ ions in both tetrahedral and octahedral coordination, and for Co3+ ions in octahedral coordination, which was corroborated by EPR spectroscopy. The paramagnetic nature of Co2+ ions was analyzed, and the g-value was determined using X-band frequency. The study also noted the narrowing of the indirect band gap with the rise in the content of Co3O4, and the examination of the metallization criterion suggested a potential metallic nature for the synthesized glasses. Notably, the 0.05 mol% Co3O4-added sample exhibited a 48 % transmission rate and the highest emission, highlighting its potential as an optical bandpass filter. These findings underscore the versatility and tunability of cobalt oxide-added borosilicate glass for various optical technologies.