Exploring the Physical Properties and Tauc’s Plot Analysis of Nd3+ doped Telluroborate Glass

Abstract

In the present work, the investigation begins with the synthesis of telluroborate glass samples doped with Nd³⁺ rare earth ion using established melt quenching techniques with composition (50–x)B₂O₃·20TeO₂ ·15Mg₂CO₃·15K₂CO₃·xNd₂O₃ (where x  varies as 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 mol %). All samples were found to be in glassy form with a broad hump in XRD spectra which is characteristic of amorphous nature. The physical parameters including the optical dielectric constant, polaron radius, interatomic separation, molar refraction, and metallization criterion are also analyzed based on molar density and molar volume. The Tauc’s plot reveals that the band gap energy rises as the dopant concentration increases. Similarly, the refractive index shows an upward trend with higher dopant concentrations. Optical absorption spectra were measured at room temperature over a wavelength range of 180 nm to 1000 nm. In conclusion, the comprehensive exploration of physical properties in Nd³⁺ doped telluroborate glass offers valuable insights into the potential applications of these materials in advanced optical and photonic devices. This work also contributes to the expanding knowledge base in the field of glass science, fostering advancements in materials engineering and device development.