Effect of bismuth trifluoride on the characteristics of fluoroindate glasses:: The InF3-BiF3-BaF2 system

Glass formation in the InF3-BiF3-BaF2 system is studied. Partial substitutions of BiF3 for InF3 in the InF3-BaF2 system reduce the glass-transition and glass-crystallization temperatures and increase the thermal stability range and refractive index. The glass structure is studied using IR and Raman spectroscopy. InF6 and BiFn polyhedra are identified in the system. Doping the glass with bismuth trifluoride changes the degree and linkage character of the InF6 polyhedra in the glass network. The medium-range order length is not affected by the bismuth trifluoride concentration in the glass. The modifier cation (Ba2+) substantially determines the correlation length in the glasses.