Preparation and magneto-optical properties of stable bismuth phosphate nanoparticles in phosphate glass

Synthesis of bismuth phosphate (BiPO 4 ) nanocrystals in low melting phosphate glass and its optical and magneto-optical properties were investigated. The presence of BiPO 4 nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffractometry and Raman spectroscopy. The optical transmission spectra of the glass samples showed that the red shift in the absorption edge is due to the presence of BiPO 4 nanoparticles in the glass. Faraday rotation tests on the glass nanocomposite showed a large increase in the Verdet constant caused by BiPO 4 nanoparticles in the phosphate glass. The BiPO 4 -glass nanosystem showed a higher Verdet constant (21.2° T −1 cm −1 ), which was increased 3-fold compared with the Verdet constant of BK-7 glass (7.52° T −1 cm −1 ). The BiPO 4 glass nanocomposite may have potential applications in magneto-optical devices.