Physical, structural and optical characterization of Dy3+ doped ZnF2-WO2-B2O3-TeO2 glasses for opto-communication applications

A series of ZnF2-WO2-B2O3-TeO2 (ZWFBT) glasses doped with different concentration of Dy3+ ions were prepared by using the melt quench method. The non-crystalline behavior of as-quenched ZWFBTDy glasses was approved by XRD spectra. The presence of different functional groups were identified by monitoring FT-IR spectra of ZWFBTDy glasses. The Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to estimate glass transition temperature (Tg) and thermal stability (Delta T) of an un-doped glass along with doped glasses. Physical parameters were estimated for Dy3+ doped ZWFBT glasses by using the formula available in the literature. The energy band gaps of as-quenched ZWFBTDy glasses were estimated by using three different theoretical models such as Mott and Davis relation, Hydrogenic Excitonic Model (HEM), and Urbach analysis. The optical absorption spectra were used to estimate the bonding parameters (delta) for elucidating the kind of bonding amide Dy3+ ions and its nearby ligands in the as-quenched glasses. The obtained experimental data from optical absorption spectra were compared with theoretical data calculated in the ambit of the Judd-Ofelt (J-O) theory. The J-O intensity parameters were estimated and a similar trend was observed (omega 2 > omega 6 >omega 4 ) for the as-prepared ZWFBTDy glasses. The results obtained using J-O intensity parameters are found consistent with the bonding parameters. The radiative parameters such as branching ratio, radiative transition, radiative lifetime, total radiative transition, absorption, and emission cross-sections were evaluated and discussed. The gain coefficient was evaluated for the NIR transitions of as-quenched ZWFBTDy glasses. The obtained results suggested that the as-prepared ZWFBTDy glasses were auspicious candidates for laser emission and optical communication applications.