Gd₂O₃-doped calcium borophosphate glasses for optical and medical applications: experimental and theoretical studies

Structure, physical, optical properties, and radiation shielding capacity of some calcium borophosphate glasses with the nominal compositions of 50B₂O₃ + 20P₂O₅+(20-X)CaO + 10Na₂O + XGd₂O₃: X = 0 (Gd-0.0), 0.5 (Gd-0.5), 1.0 (Gd-1.0), 1.5 (Gd-1.5), and 2.0 (Gd-2.0) mol% were investigated. The studied samples were prepared via the conventional melt quenching procedure. The Phy-X/PSD software employed to evaluate the γ-ray absorption competence. XRD measurements indicate that the Gd-X samples were in amorphous nature. Density (ρ) increased from 2.31 g/cm³ to 2.60 g/cm³, whereas molar volume (V_m) declined from 34.80 cm³/mol to 33.50 cm³/mol. In UV region, Gd-X glasses recorded two absorption bands at 240 and 280 nm. The optical energy band gap (E_g) ranged from 3.35 to 3.20 eV, whereas refractive index (n) varied from 2.32 to 2.36. Values of the nonlinear refractive index (n₂) changed from 4.11 × 10^− 11 esu to 4.64 × 10^− 11 esu. Values of the values of third order optical susceptibility (χ⁽³⁾) changed from 2.53 × 10^− 12 esu to 2.89 × 10^− 12 esu. Trend of the mass-(MAC) and linear-(LAC) absorption coefficients for Gd-X samples followed by the order that Gd-0.0 < Gd-0.5 < Gd-1.0 < Gd-1.5 < Gd-2.0. Trend of half-(HVL) and tenth-(TVL) value layers followed by the order that Gd-0.0 > Gd-0.5 > Gd-1.0 > Gd-1.5 > Gd-2.0. Results showed that the suggested Gd-X glasses can be applied for optical and medical applications.