Development of glass materials containing magnetic nanoparticles and rare earth ions for magneto-optical applications

Abstract

This project approaches the execution for an internship, in the Institute of Chemistry of Condensed Matter of Bordeaux (ICMCB) at University of Bordeaux, in France. The project aims the study of the magnetic and magneto-optical properties of glasses containing magnetic nanoparticles dispersed homogeneously in the matrix and also glasses containing paramagnetic rare earth ions after thermal poling. First, the magnetic nanoparticles will be synthesized and covered with SiO2, in order to protect the nanoparticles while obtaining the glassy material. The phosphate glasses will be prepared from solutions of the precursors, forming a gel, in which the nanoparticles will be incorporated, then the melting will be carried out followed by thermal shock. Glasses containing rare earth ions will be based in the system GeO2-B2O3-Na2O-xTb4O7 and they will be prepared by the melting-quenching method and afterwards they will be modified by means of thermal poling in order to study the influence of conductivity on the magnetic properties of the glass. The structural properties will be studied by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (MET-AR), Spectroscopies UV-Vis-NIR and Raman. The investigations of the magneto-optical properties will be carried out with a Super Conducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) Magnetometer, Faraday Rotation and using the interaction glass-femtosecond laser and glass. The results that can be obtained with this project can contribute with significant results to understand fundamental parameters that allow the interaction of the laser with the magnetic vitreous compositions and contribute to the advancement of this recent topic and the idealization of new magneto-optical devices. (AU)