Spectroscopy Study of Sm³⁺ Doped Fluorosilicate Glasses for Orange Emission Solid-State Device Application

Glass samples with formula as Li₂O–BaO–GdF₃–SiO₂:Sm₂O₃ were fabricated by melt quenching method. Their optical, physical and luminescence properties were studied, for their potential applications in photonic device working in visible region. The Sm³⁺ ions and nearby ligands bonding nature were determined from bonding parameters (δ) that in turn were calculated from LGF absorption spectra. Oscillator strength of different absorption bands and Judd–Ofelt (JO) parameters (Ω_λ (λ = 2, 4, 6)) were measured. JO-parameters and refractive index have been used to valuate various radiative properties of Sm³⁺ ions emission transitions in prepared glasses to explore their potential application as visible lasers. Furthermore, the emission was studied by exciting the LGF glass samples with different wavelengths (λ_ex = 275, 402 nm). The orange to red ratios at different wavelengths (λ_ex = 275 nm and X-ray) were evaluated to measure the Sm³⁺-ions local disorder in the glass network. The decreasing trend in experimental decay time (τ_exp) with Sm³⁺-ion concentration increasing was observed due to energy transfer. Best fit for the prepared glass, when studied in the light of Inokuti–Hirayama model was obtained for S = 6 indicating dipole–dipole type of energy transfer. The intense visible (orange) emission, high stimulated emission cross-section (σ_e), branching ratios (β_R), radiative transition probability (A_R), and reasonable quantum efficiency were determined for transition from ⁴G_5/2 to ⁶H_7/2 in glass. This suggests Sm³⁺ doped glass shows potential use for development of devices (laser and photonic) working in visible (orange) region.