Sm3+-Doped Alumino Borophospho-Silicate Glasses: An Examination of the Optical, Structural, and Gamma-ray Protective Features.

A prime series of Sm³⁺-doped alumino borophospho-silicate (xABPS) glasses were fabricated while varying the samarium ion concentration by employing the traditional melt-quenching method. XRD and FTIR characterizations were made for the structural investigation of the present glasses and the physical properties were calculated and reported. The high compactness and bonding nature of the xABPS glass system are explained through parameters such as boron–boron spacing, oxygen packing density, and the metallization criterion. The calculated mechanical properties illustrate the packing efficiency of the studied glasses. The absorption spectra exhibited several peaks in the UV–Vis-NIR region and following Tauc's plot method, the direct and indirect band gap for the glasses are determined and discussed. Various photon interaction parameters were calculated using the Phy-X program in a selected energy range. The obtained results of the studied glasses' mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), mean free path (MFP), and half-value layer (HVL) are compared with the reported data, whereby the increasing value of MAC, and the decreasing values of MFP and HVL confirm that the discussed glasses are suitable for radiation-shielding purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]