X-ray absorption (XANES) and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of gamma irradiated Nd doped phosphate glass

TL;DR

This study investigates how gamma irradiation affects the electronic structure and oxidation state of Nd ions in phosphate glass using XANES and XPS, revealing reduction of Nd3+ to Nd2+ and oxygen deficiency post-irradiation.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the changes in Nd oxidation states and glass composition caused by gamma irradiation using combined XANES and XPS analysis.

Findings

Nd3+ is reduced to Nd2+ after gamma irradiation.

Gamma irradiation causes oxygen deficiency in the glass.

XANES and XPS effectively detect changes in Nd oxidation states.

Abstract

This paper presents the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) studies of Nd doped phosphate glasses before and after gamma irradiation. The intensity and location of LIII edge white line peak of Nd are found to be dependent on the concentration of Nd as well as on the ratio of O/Nd in the glass matrix. The decrease in the peak intensity of white line of XANES spectra and asymmetry in the profile of Nd 3d5/2 peak of XPS after gamma irradiation clearly indicates that Nd3+ gets reduced to Nd2+ in the glass matrix, which increases with an increase in the doses of irradiation. Sharpening of Nd 3d5/2 XPS profile indicates about the deficiency of oxygen in the glass after gamma irradiation, which is supported by EDX measurement.