Optical properties of silver ion-exchanged antimony doped glass

The aim of this study is to seek a better knowledge of the influence of optically active antimony ions on the optical properties of silver centres, introduced by silver ion exchange into Sb-doped soda-lime glass. We report on photoluminescence, optical absorption and transmission electron microscopy investigations of antimony-doped glass before and after the ion-exchange process with Ag+ at high- and low-temperatures, for different lengths of time. The modification of the glass structure due to sodium exchange by silver, at low temperatures and short exchange times, neither affects significantly the characteristic luminescence of Sb3+ in the soda-lime glass nor the absorption spectrum of the glass. However, a decrease of Sb3+-emission intensity peaked at 371 nm (3.34 eV) as the exchange time or temperature increases, is found to be important. We use optical spectroscopy to study different silver species inside the glass after the exchange. Traces of isolated Ag+-ions cannot be detected in the first stage of the exchange process. Nevertheless, an orange luminescence with a peak at about 615 under 395 nm excitation attributed to small clusters formed by silver ions and silver atoms, can be recorded in those samples exchanged for 10 min.