Optimized physical and radiation attenuation properties of Er3+-Doped strontium potassium bismuth-boro-tellurite glass systems: An experimental study

• Published in: Optical materials 2025-02, Vol.159, p.116595, Article 116595
• Main Authors: Ngaram, Suleman Modu, Hashim, Suhairul, Mohd Sanusi, Mohamad Syazwan, Ibrahim, Abdullahi, Sayyed, M.I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Erbium; Narrow beam transmission geometry; Oxygen molar volume; Radiation protection efficiency; Raman
• ISSN: 0925-3467
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2024.116595

This work investigates the physical and radiation protective features of synthetic glasses with the chemical compositions (70-x) B2O3–5TeO2–10Bi2O3–10SrCO3–5K2CO3-xEr2O3 (where x = 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, 1.1, and 1.3 mol%). The density of the produced glasses increased from 3.692 to 3.888 g cm−3, while the molar volume decreased from 34.302 to 32.421 cm3 mol−1 in response to the addition of Er3+ from 0.5 to 1.3 mol%. The oxygen molar volume (OMV) declined from 11.561 to 11.179 cm3 mol−1, and the figures for oxygen packing density (OPD) increased from 86.012 to 88.823 g atm l−1. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) was measured experimentally using narrow beam transmission geometry and validated with XCOM software across an energy range of 0.059–1.333 MeV. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrated significant agreement. The LAC values decreased with increasing photon energy, ranging from 9.725 to 0.202 cm−1 for BTEr0.5, 10.251 to 0.207 cm−1 for BTEr0.7, 10.481 to 0.208 cm−1 for BTEr0.9, 10.948 to 0.211 cm−1 for BTEr1.1, and 11.233 to 0.213 cm−1 for BTEr1.3 glass samples, indicating superior protection against lower-energy photons. Additionally, the HVL and MFP values for the BTEr1.3 sample increased from 0.062 to 3.254 cm and 0.089–4.695 cm, respectively, highlighting that the sample with 1.3 mol% Er2O3 is particularly promising for radiation shielding applications. •Five glasses with the composition (70-x) B2O3–5TeO2–10Bi2O3–10SrCO3–5K2CO3-xEr2O3 (where x = 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, 1.1, and 1.3 mol%) were synthesized using melt and quenching method.•Density increases with the addition of Er3+ concentration.•Radiation shielding results were experimentally obtained and validated using the XCOM program.•The 1.3 mol% Er3+ composition was identified as the most effective for shielding.