Glasses with the compositions in mol % of 50ZnO:(50 - x)B2O3:0.5Eu2O3:xWO3, x = 0, 1, 3, 5 and 10 were obtained by applying the melt-quenching method and investigated by Raman spectroscopy, DSC analysis and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Raman spectra revealed that tungstate ions incorporate into the base zinc borate glass as tetrahedral [WO4]2- groups, and octahedral [WØ4O2]2- species with four bridging and two non-bridging oxygen atoms. There are also metaborate, [BØ2O]- and pyroborate units, [B2O5]4-, in the glass networks. The glasses are characterized by good transmission in the visible region, at about 80%. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra evidenced that WO3 is an appropriate constituent for the modification of zinc borate glass structure and for enhancing the Eu3+ luminescent intensity. The most intense luminescence peak observed, at 612 nm, suggests that the glasses are potential materials for red emission.
Keywords: europium; glasses; photoluminescence; structure.