Effect of WO3 on structural and optical properties of CeO2-PbO-B2O3 glasses

Pure and WO₃ doped CeO₂-PbO-B₂O₃ glasses are prepared by the melt-quench technique. The structural and optical analyses of glasses are carried out by XRD, FTIR, density and UV-vis spectroscopic measurement techniques. FTIR analysis indicates the transformation of structural units of BO₃ into BO₄ with W-O-W vibration and the presence of WO₄ and WO₆ units observed with increase in WO₃ contents. Decrease in band gap for CeO₂-PbO-B₂O₃ glasses from 2.89 to 2.30 eV and for WO₃ doped glasses from 2.89 to 1.95 eV has been observed and discussed. This decrease in band gap with WO₃ doping approaches to semiconductor behavior. It shows that the presence of WO₃ in the glass samples causes more compaction of the borate network due to the formation of BO₄ groups and the presence of WO₄ and WO₆ groups, which result in a decrease in the optical band gap energy and increase in the density.