Enhanced spectroscopic properties and Judd–Ofelt parameters of Er-doped tellurite glass: Effect of gold nanoparticles

Glasses with composition 70TeO2–20ZnO–10Na2O–0.5Er2O3–(x)Au are synthesized by melt-quenching technique. Their spectroscopic and optical characterizations are made. The presence of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) with average size ∼9 nm is confirmed from TEM micrograph. The value of Edir is found to lie between 3.082 and 3.073 eV, while Eindir lies within 2.765 to 2.724 eV. The observed visible up-conversion (UC) emission under 779 nm excitation wavelength exhibits two bands centered at 546 nm (green) and 637 nm (red) in all samples. The glass with 0.4 mol% Au NPs shows dominant enhancement in the UC emission intensity of the order of 3.5 times for the green band (4S3/2 → 4I15/2) and a weaker enhancement for the red (4F9/2 → 4I15/2) band. The optical properties of the system are affirmed to depend strongly on the Au concentration in the dielectric medium. The absorption spectra consist of six bands attributed to absorption from ground state (4I15/2) to 4I13/2, 4I11/2, 4I9/2, 4F9/2, 2H11/2, and 4F7/2 excited states. The structural reveals that the types of bonding and difference in electro-negativity can be manipulated by the presence of metallic NPs in glass matrix. Judd–Ofelt analysis asserts the increase in Ω2 and Ω6 parameters with the addition of Au NPs and the enhancement of green and red emissions. The enhancement is mainly attributed to large plasmonic effect of Au NPs. The proposed glasses can be nominated as potential materials for solid state laser developments. •Er3+-doped zinc-tellurite glass with and without Au NPs has been synthesized.•TEM micrograph shows the existence of Au NPs with average diameter of 9 nm dispersed in glass matrix.•Metallic NPs manipulate the types of bonding and difference in electro-negativity.•Plasmonic effect from Au NPs exerts prominent enhancement in UC.