Spectroscopic studies of Sm 3+ ions doped alkaline-earth chloro borate glasses for visible photonic applications

Abstract A new series of Sm 3+ ions doped Alkaline-Earth Chloro Borate (AECB) glasses with compositions (25-x)CaO-5SrO-10BaCl 2 -60B 2 O 3 -xSm 2 O 3 (x = 0.1 mol%–2.5 mol%) were prepared by a conventional melt quenching technique and characterized with XRD, absorption, excitation, photoluminescence (PL) and fluorescence decay spectral measurements. From the absorption spectra, Judd-Ofelt (J-O) intensity parameters (Ω 2 , Ω 4 , Ω 6 ) have been measured. The PL spectra under 402 nm excitation show bright reddish-orange emission at 602 nm. The decay spectral profiles of 4 G 5/2 → 6 H 7/2 (602 nm) luminescence transition used to measure experimental lifetimes (τ R ). The Inokuti-Hirayama model used to understand the predominant energy transfer mechanism involved in the prepared glasses. The evaluated emission cross-sections ( σ se ), branching ratios ( β R ) and quantum efficiency (η) allows us to contemplate that the Sm 3+ ions doped AECB glasses are aptly suitable as potential gain mediums for visible reddish orange lasers pumped directly by commercially available 405 nm laser diodes.