Influence of modifier oxide on spectroscopic and thermoluminescence characteristics of Sm ion in antimony borate glass system

Sb₂O₃-B₂O₃:Sm³⁺ glasses mixed with three different modifier oxides viz., PbO, CaO and ZnO were prepared. Optical absorption, photoluminescence and thermoluminescence (TL) spectra of these glasses have been recorded at room temperature. From the measured intensities of various absorption bands of these glasses, the Judd-Ofelt parameters Ω₂, Ω₄ and Ω₆ have been evaluated. The Judd-Ofelt theory could successfully be applied to characterize the absorption and luminescence spectra of these glasses. From this theory, various radiative properties like transition probability A, branching ratio β_r, the radiative lifetime τ_r, and the emission cross-section σ^E for various emission levels of these glasses have been determined and reported. An attempt has also been made to throw some light on the relationship between the structural modifications and luminescence efficiencies of all the three glasses. The analysis of TL data indicates high non-radiative losses in ZnO mixed glasses.