Abstract
Barium fluoride borosilicate glass samples reinforced with varying amounts of Gd(2)O(3) (BSBLG0-BSBLG4) have been manufactured using the conventional melt quenching procedure in order to provide additional research on the type of borosilicate glass. Structural, physical, and linear optical characteristics as well as γ-ray attenuation capacity of barium fluoride borosilicate doped with Gd(2)O(3) was investigated. X-ray diffraction pattern proving the amorphous nature of the glass samples due to the absence of a distinctive crystalline characteristic peak. The density (ρ) slightly increased from 2.74 g/cm(3) to 2.91 g/cm(3) and the molar volume (V(m)) ranged from 31.27 cm(3)/mol to 31.49 cm(3)/mol with increasing Gd(2)O(3) substitution ratio. The UV-Vis absorption spectra revealed a considerable increase in the absorbance of the glass samples in the visible and ultraviolet wavelength range and the UV absorption edge shifted to a higher wavelength as the Gd(2)O(3) substitution ratio increased. The direct optical gap (E(g)) ranged from 3.40 eV to 3.21 eV, while the indirect values dropped from 2.88 eV to 2.74 eV. The values of Urbach's energy (E(u)) increased from 0.35 eV to 0.38 eV. The dispersion and indices of refraction were significantly impacted by Gd(2)O(3) concentration. Real (ε(1)) and imaginary (ε(2)) parts of optical dielectric constants improved as the ratio of Gd(3+) ions increased. Mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), and effective atomic number (Z(eff)) parameters were increased as Gd(2)O(3) content increased in the glass networks. Half-value layer (HVL) and mean free path (MFP) followed the order: BSBLG0 > BSBLG1 > BSBLG2 > BSBLG3 > BSBLG4. Results concluded that the suggested glasses cab be applied in opt-electronic devices and radiation shielding applications.