Er3+/Sm3+ Co-DOPED LUMINESCENT SODIUM LITHIUM PHOSPHATE GLASSES

Abstract

Driven by the need of efficient luminescent glass materials we prepared a series of trivalent Erbium (Er3+)/ Samarium (Sm3+) co-doped sodium-lithium-phosphate (ErSmSLP) glasses via melt quenching method. Highly transparent glasses ( both singly-doped and co-doped) of composition (49.5–x)P2O5–20Na2O–30Li2O–0.5Sm2O3-xEr2O3, where x = 0.0 to 1.0 mol% are acquired and their room temperature photoluminescence (PL) properties are determined as a function of co-dopants Er3+/Sm3+ concentration. The PL spectra of Er3+ doped phosphate glass (ErSLP) under 398 nm excitation exhibited six peaks at 500, 538, 560 595, 640, and 702 nm wavelength. The emission spectra of Sm3+ doped phosphate glass (SmSLP) under 403 nm excitations revealed a prominent orange emission at 598 nm originated from 4G5/2 6H7/2 transition. Furthermore, the ErSmSLP glasses demonstrated PL intensity enhancement for Er3+ content of 1.0 mol%, which is attributed to the mechanism of energy transfer from Sm3+ to Er3+ ion. Our observation may be useful for the development of rare earth co-doped luminescent sodium-lithium-phosphate glass.