Samarium-Doped Lead Phosphate Glass: Optical Experiments and Calculations Using the Judd–Ofelt Theory

In this work, Sm3+-activated lead phosphate glass has been studied using spectroscopic methods. Based on absorption spectrum measurements, the oscillator strengths for Sm3+ ions were determined and compared to those calculated from the Judd–Ofelt theory. This procedure was applied to evaluate some radiative parameters (radiative transition rates, emission branching ratios, radiative lifetime) of Sm3+ ions in lead phosphate glass. Further luminescent studies indicate that lead phosphate glass doped with Sm3+ emits intense reddish-orange light due to 4G5/2 ⟶ 6H7/2 transition, for which several important spectroscopic parameters like emission linewidth and lifetime, quantum efficiency, peak stimulated emission cross-section, and figure of merit for laser gain were determined. The factors for Sm3+ ions in lead phosphate glass are as follows: η = 53%, FWHM = 10.5 nm, τexp = 1.925 ms, σem = 7.6 × 10−22 cm2, σem × τexp = 14.6 × 10−25 cm2s. The experimental and theoretical results suggest that samarium-doped lead phosphate glass can be successfully used as a reddish-orange-emitting component in photonic devices.