Optical absorption and thermoluminescence studies on LiF–Sb2O3–B2O3 glasses doped with Ni2+ ions

20LiF–(30−x)Sb2O3–50B2O3:xNiO glasses with the value of x (ranging from 0 to 1.0 mol% in steps of 0.2) were prepared. A number of studies, viz. differential scanning calorimetry, optical absorption, magnetic susceptibility and thermoluminescence, on these glasses were carried out as a function of nickel ion concentration. An anomaly has been observed in all the properties of these glasses when NiO concentration is about 0.6 mol%. The results of these studies were analysed in the light of different environments of nickel ions in the glass network.