Spectroscopy Characterization of MWCNT Doped B2O3-Gd2O3-ZnO-Er2O3 Glass for NIR Solid State Application

In this work, multi wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) doped borate glass has been successfully developed by melt quenching technique with the chemical composition 67.5B2O3-20ZnO-12Gd2O3-Er2O3-0.5MWCNT. Several peaks observed from absorption spectra due to transition from 4I15/2 as a ground state into several states i.e. 4G11/2, 2G9/2, 4F7/2, 4F5/2, 2H11/2,4S3/2, 4F9/2, 4I11/2, and 4I13/2. The sample shows a strong emission in 1536 nm because of 4I13/2→4I15/2 transition under 520 nm wavelength excitation. Emission around 402 nm and 471 nm under 270 nm excitation could be the indication for presence of MWCNT. The sample exhibits NIR to NIR up-conversion under 1500 nm excitation. Absorption data have been used to calculate optical band gap energy through Tauc plot method. This study shows that MWCNT doped borate glass could be a promising material for solid state application in NIR region.