ESR and FT-IR Studies on GeO₂ Substituted Lead Vanadate Semiconducting Glass System

A series of Germania-lead-vanadium pentoxide glasses with x=5, 10 and 15 mol% were prepared by melt quenching technique and they were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) techniques. X-ray diffraction results reveal that all samples are perfect amorphous in nature. Differential scanning calorimetry results indicate that the substituent GeO2 is replacing PbO in the glass network in such a way that the eutectic composition is maintained. The Fourier Transform Infrared spectra characterized V=O stretching frequency around 968 cm^-1 upto 15 mole% and interestingly the Electron Spin Resonance studies did not yield well resolved hyperfine structure due to exchange broadening which varyies with nature of dopant. The Hruby parameter (K_g) for this glass system has been evaluated and reported.