Luminescence behavior of Nd^3 +-activated soda-lime-borate glasses for solid-state lasers applications

In this work, Nd^3 +-activated soda-lime-borate (SLBNd) glasses are prepared in a composition (65-x) B:10CaO:25Na₂O:xNd₂O₃ (where x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mol%) by conventional melt-quenching technique, which is its novel study for laser application. The prepared samples are studied by absorption and near-infrared (NIR) luminescence emission spectra and decay-time analysis. The Judd–Ofelt (JO) intensity parameter, Ω_λ (λ = 2, 4, 6), and radiative properties of the ⁴F_3/2 level of Nd^3 + ion are calculated from absorption spectra using JO theory. At 585-nm excitation wavelength, strong NIR emission, at 1.069 μm, is observed corresponding to the ⁴F_3/2 → ⁴I_11/2, for all glass samples. Decay constants are found to be decreasing with increasing Nd^3 + concentration due to the energy transfer through cross-relaxation process. The stimulated-emission cross-section (σ(λ_p), experimental branching ratio (β_exp), gain bandwidth, and quantum efficiency (η) are measured as 4.0 × 10^− 20 cm², 68%, 1.48 × 10^− 25 cm³ and 65%, respectively. Presented results revealed that Nd^3 +-activated soda-lime-borate glasses could be useful for 1.06-μm laser application.