Structural, absorption and fluorescence spectral analysis of Pr3+ ions doped zinc bismuth borate glasses

Glasses having composition 20ZnO center dot xBi(2)O(3) center dot (79.5-x)B2O3 center dot 0.5Pr(6)O(11) were prepared by melt quench technique. The amorphous nature of the prepared glass samples was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The spectroscopic properties of these glasses were investigated by recording optical absorption and fluorescence spectra. The structural investigations of the glasses were carried out by recording the IR spectra. The optical properties of Pr3+ ions doped zinc borate glasses with varying concentration of bismuth oxide have been studied. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters. Omega(lambda)(lambda = 2, 4, 6) and other radiative properties like radiative transition probability, radiative life time, branching ratio and stimulated emission cross-section of the prepared glasses have been calculated. The variation of Omega(2) with Bi2O3 content has been attributed to changes in the asymmetry of the ligand field at the rare earth ion site and to the changes in their rare earth oxygen (RE-O) covalency. The branching ratio for P-3(0) -> F-3(2) transition is 42% and the predicted spontaneous radiative transition probability rates are fairly high ( 14,347-14,607 s(-1)). This is beneficial for lasing emission. The stimulated emission cross-section for all the emission bands has been calculated. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.