Optical and other spectroscopic studies of lead, zinc bismuth borate glasses doped with CuO

10MO·20Bi₂O₃·(70−x)B₂O₃·xCuO [M=Pb, Zn] with x=0, 0.4 and 0.8 (wt%) glasses were synthesized by the melt-quenching technique and were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Physical parameters, like density, and spectroscopic studies (optical absorption, EPR, FTIR and photoluminescence) were used to understand the role of modifier oxide and CuO in the glass matrix. A red shift of the absorption band corresponds to ²B_1g→²B_2g transition of Cu²⁺ ions from P2 to Z4 samples and the increase of hyperfine splitting factor (A_‖) from P2 to Z2 shows that with the integration of PbO by ZnO the electron density around copper ion is increased. It is also supported by the gradual increase in theoretical optical basicity values of ZnO mixed glasses, as compared to that of PbO mixed glass matrix. Reduced bismuth radicals are found in undoped and 0.4% CuO doped glasses of both the series. Analysis of the absorption and emission studies indicates that the concentration of luminescence centers of bismuth ions (Bi³⁺ ions in UV region) is decreased by the integration of ZnO as well as by increasing the dopant concentration. In lead series PbO₄ and BiO₃ units are increased from P2 to P4 and in zinc series BiO₃ units are decreased from Z0 to Z4. The conductivity of the glass matrices is increased in both the series with the dopant of CuO.