Silver nanoparticles doped heavy metal oxide borate glasses: luminescence and spectroscopic investigations

The effects of silver nanoparticles (NPs) embedded with samarium (Sm3+) ions doped on luminescence intensity of borate glasses was fabricated and evaluated using a method that is conventionally known as melt quenching. XRD study proved material's amorphousness. TEM examination determines average nanoparticle size distribution. Vibrational and structural units determined by FTIR and Raman spectra. DTA thermograms identify T-g, T-o, and T-p. XPS allows one to identify chemical shifts in addition to binding energies. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band that has been identified is located at around 400 nm. It is a hypersensitive transition and enhancement of PL intensity due to the energy transfer from AgNPs to Sm3+ ions. A high-intensity emission peak can be seen at 599 nm (orange red), which is attributed to the electric dipole transition (4)G(5/2) H-6(7/2) of Sm3+ ions. The PL intensity non-linearity should be affected by the silver ion concentration. This happens because the energy is being transferred reverse, from the Sm3+ ions to the AgNPs, causing the PL intensity to oscillate in an anisotropic fashion. Analysis of the CIE diagram of glass system with Sm3+ ions suggests that it may be useful as a red luminous glass matrix in various photonic device implementations.

Automated summary

The effects of samarium-doped silver nanoparticles on the luminescence intensity of borate glasses were studied. The material was found to be amorphous through XRD analysis, while TEM examination provided information on the average size distribution of the nanoparticles. FTIR, Raman spectra, and DTA thermograms were used to determine vibrational and structural units, as well as transition temperatures. XPS analysis allowed for the identification of chemical shifts. The study concluded that the system could be used as a red luminous glass matrix in photonic device implementations.