CENTENNIAL HONORS COLLEGE
Western Illinois University
Undergraduate Research Day 2015
Poster Presentation
Variation of Optical Band Gap in Bismuth Borate Glasses Doped with Mn and Ni Ions
Nicole Szabo
Faculty Mentors: Saisudha Mallur and P. K. Babu
Physics
The optical properties of glasses are important in determining their applications in optical devices.
Glasses doped with transition metal ions are interesting systems as the presence of transition metal ions is
expected to significantly influence their optical properties. We prepared a series of bismuth borate glasses
doped with Mn and Ni ions to study their optical properties as a function of glass composition. Starting
materials in the appropriate stoichiometric ratios were weighed and transferred to porcelain crucibles
which were then placed inside a high temperature furnace to melt them at a temperature of 950 oC. Once
the sample had melted the crucible was stirred three times to ensure homogeneity. Then the samples were
quenched by pouring them into brass rings on metal slabs and then covered with another metal slab. Once
the samples were cooled from the quenching they were annealed for about 3 hours to remove the thermal
strains. After the samples were annealed, they were flattened and polished for refractive index, optical
absorption and fluorescence measurements. Here, we present preliminary results of the variation of band
gap determined from the analysis of the optical absorption data of our glasses.