Influence of modifier oxide on spectroscopic and thermoluminescence characteristics of Sm3+ ion in antimony borate glass system

Sb2O3-B2O3:Sm3+ glasses mixed with three different modifier oxides viz., PbO, CaO and ZnO were prepared. Optical absorption, photoluminescence and thermoluminescence (TL) spectra of these glasses have been recorded at room temperature. From the measured intensities of various absorption bands of these glasses, the Judd-Ofelt parameters Omega(2), Omega(4) and Omega(6) have been evaluated. The Judd-Ofelt theory could successfully be applied to characterize the absorption and luminescence spectra of these glasses. From this theory, various radiative properties like transition probability A, branching ratio beta(r), the radiative lifetime T, and the emission cross-section sigma(E) for various emission levels of these glasses have been determined and reported. An attempt has also been made to throw some light on the relationship between the structural modifications and luminescence efficiencies of all the three glasses. The analysis of TL data indicates high non-radiative losses in ZnO mixed glasses. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.