Optical spectroscopy of Nd3+ ions in a nanostructured glass matrix

This paper presents the optical characterization of Nd3+ ions in nanostructured SiO2–Na2CO3–Al2O3–B2O3 (SNAB) CdS glass, synthesized by fusion. Radiative properties of the glass were determined by absorption, luminescence spectroscopy and lifetime measurements. Nd3+ emission enhancement and quenching were investigated in the presence of CdS nanocrystals. Nd3+-emission quenching was attributed to upconversion mechanisms and nonradiative processes such as multiphonon decay and energy transfer, while the Nd3+-emission enhancement was due to energy transfer from the CdS nanocrystals. Changes in the chemical environment around CdS nanocrystals were also confirmed by Judd–Ofelt calculations.