Modifier role of cerium in lithium aluminium borate glasses

Lithium aluminium borate glasses doped with CeO2 at the expense of Al2O3 have been prepared by melt quench technique. An intense fluorescence has been recorded when excited at 350 nm giving a large Stoke’s shift. This emission has been attributed to 5d → 4f transitions of Ce3+. An increase in fluorescence intensity, shifting of UV absorption edge towards longer wavelength and a decrease in band gap with addition of CeO2 concentration has been observed. Moreover densification and stabilization of glass network has been observed which is due to conversion of BO3 units to BO4 units since CeO2 at low concentrations act as a network modifier.