Physical, structural and optical characterization of silicate modified bismuth-borate-tellurite glasses

The quaternary glass system xSiO(2)-(80-x) Bi2O3-15B(2)O(3)-5TeO(2) has been prepared by melt-quench technique. The amorphous nature of glass samples has been ascertained by X-ray diffraction patterns. The variations in density, molar volume and crystalline volume with glass compositions have been discussed. A non-linear change has been observed in glass transition temperature and optical band gap energy. Raman and FTIR spectral studies suggest that glass network is mainly built up of BO3, BO4, SiO4, and TeO3 structural units, whereas BiO3 exists as both network modifying [BiO6] octahedral as well as network forming [BiO3] pyramidal structural units. The values of optical band gap energy have been estimated from fitting of both Mott and Davis's model and Hydrogenic excitonic model (HEM) with experimental data of absorption spectra. The HEM model shows good agreement with experimentally observed absorption spectra, which indicates the exciton formation in studied glass system. The nonlinear compositional change in optical band gap energy is related with the structural changes occurring in present glass samples. The Urbach energy has also been estimated. The range of metallization criterion suggests that prepared glasses may be considered as new nonlinear optical materials. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.