Infrared spectra and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of Ce3O2-Na2O-GeO2 glasses

Germanate glasses have potential applications as optical fibers and rare earth ions doped materials are good candidates for optical, lasing and magnetic applications. In this work Ce 3 O 2 -Na 2 O-GeO 2 glasses were prepared by powder fusion varying the Na 2 O content, x, from 0.3 to 0.05 with a Ce 3 O 2 content fixed at 0.10. The fusion process in the oven was taken at a temperature of 1350°C. Synthesized glasses were analyzed by FT-IR and XPS in order to obtain information about the glass structure and cerium oxidation state and how it enters the glass network. FT-IR reveals the presence of germanium and cerium oxide principal absorption bands. The Ce 3d spin-orbit doublet from XPS spectra was curve fitted to determine Ce oxidation state, according to results cerium is predominantly present as Ce (III). The O 1s spectra was also curve fitted with to components corresponding to the non-bridging oxygen (NBO) and bridging oxygen (BO).