Optical and gamma-ray shielding features of Nd3+ doped lithium-zinc-borophosphate glasses

Lithium-zinc-borophosphate glasses with the composition of (100-x)[20Li(2)O-10ZnO-20B(2)O(3)50P(2)O(5)]-xNd2O3,x = 0.0 (LZBP:0.0Nd) to 4.0 (LZBP:4.0Nd) wt%, were synthesized. DSC curves were used to determine Tg of the samples. The density of the samples increased from 2.528 to 2.588 g.cm(-3). The physical properties such as ion concentration and field strength were estimated using standard formulae. Both of UV-visible and FTIR spectra were recorded in the range of 190-1000 nm and 400-4000 cm(-1), respectively. The indirect optical band gap (E-opt.(ASF,I)) measured by ASF method were in the range of 3.36-3.66 eV. FTIR spectra revealed the presence of PO4, BO3 and PO4 units within glass matrix. The radiation shielding parameters such as the mass attenuation coefficients (MAC) and the half value layer (HVL) for the glasses were estimated via Phy-X/ PSD program within the photon energy (0.015 15 MeV). The glass LZBP:4.0Nd has the lowest HVL and hence the high shielding capacity of gamma rays.