Glasses from the system PbO-Bi2O3-Ga2O3-BaO -: The properties and tendency to crystallization

Lead-bismuth-gallium-barium glasses demonstrate far transmittance in infrared (about 7.4 mu m) and high refractive index in comparison with other oxide glasses. These glasses find application in optoelectronics as fibre optics, optical amplifiers, optical couplers and various elements of devices applying non-linear optical effects. Obtaining these glasses as well as their processing (e.g. in order to obtain fibres) is a difficult process because of their tendency to crystallization. The aim of the present study were the synthesis of glasses of this type, determination the most important properties and investigation of their tendency to crystallize. The region of the glassy state of the above system was examined, and the tendency of representative glass to crystallization has been determined by means of thermal differential analysis, X-ray analysis and EDAX method. The obtained results of investigations help to carry out properly the process of synthesis and to transform glass into the desired optical elements.