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Title: Link between optical spectra, crystal-field parameters, and local environments of Eu{sup 3+} ions in Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3}-doped sodium disilicate glass

Journal Article · · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
; ;  [1];  [2];  [3]; ;  [4]
  1. School of Physical Sciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NH (United Kingdom)
  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy and MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140 (New Zealand)
  3. Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
  4. Laboratorio di Chimica dello Stato Solido, DB, Universita di Verona, INSTM, UdR Verona, I-37134 Verona (Italy)

Rare-earth-doped glasses are key materials for optical technology due to the luminescent properties of 4f{sup n} ions. The crystal-field model describes the effect of local environment on transitions between 4f electrons. We present a detailed modeling study of the optical spectra of sodium disilicate glass, 33Na{sub 2}O{center_dot}67SiO{sub 2}, doped with 0.2% and 1.0 mol%Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3}. This study uses very large molecular dynamics models with up to 100 Eu{sup 3+} ions, the superposition model for covalent and overlap effects on crystal-field parameters, and realistic values for homogeneous linewidth broadening. The simulated spectra are in reasonable agreement with experiment. The trends in {sup 7} F{sub J} energy levels across different Eu{sup 3+} ion sites have been examined and a very detailed analysis is presented that looks at how features of the spectra are related to features of the local environment of Eu{sup 3+} ions. Increasing the crystal-field strength S{sub total} causes the {sup 7} F{sub 0} energy level to decrease and causes the splitting of {sup 7} F{sub J} manifolds to increase, and this is due to increasing mixing of 4f wave functions. To a reasonable approximation the crystal-field strength components S{sub k} depend on angular positions of ligands independently of distances to ligands. The former are seen to be more significant in determining S{sub k}, which are closely related to the rotationally invariant bond-orientational order parameters Q{sub k}. The values of S{sub 2} are approximately linear in Q{sub 2}, and the values of Q{sub 2} are higher for fivefold than sixfold coordinated rare-earth ions. These results can be of importance for efforts to enhance the local environment of rare-earth ions in oxide glasses for optical applications.

OSTI ID:
21596863
Journal Information:
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 84, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.84.104206; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1098-0121
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English