Optical characterization of glass and glass- crystalline materials in the B2O3-Bi2O3-La2O3 system doped with Eu3+ ions

Glass and glass-crystalline materials with nominal composition 55B(2)O(3)center dot 35Bi(2)O(3)center dot 10La(2)O(3) doped with 1 mol% EU2O3 were synthesized by melt quenching method. Different phases were developed, applying several melting temperatures. According to the XRD data, glass-crystalline materials containing LaBO3 as crystalline phase were obtained at 1050 degrees C and 1100 degrees C, while X-ray amorphous samples were prepared at 1200 degrees C. Thermal parameters of the obtained glass samples were estimated by DTA analysis. It was found that the thermal stability of the glass drastically increased with the addition of EU2O3 (1 mol %). UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectrum showed that the quenched glass is transparent in the visible region. LaBO3: Eu3+ crystals enhanced red D-5(0)-F-7(2) photoluminescence emission of the glass-crystalline samples as compared with the glass sample. This is due to the incorporation of the active Eu3+ ions with low symmetry into the crystal phase.