Theoretical study of the structure and optical properties of rare-earth-doped BeF2 glass

We investigate the question of whether the local structure of a glass can be deduced directly from its optical spectra by testing such a procedure on a model system. The model system was Eu3+-doped BeF2 glass generated the Monte Carlo technique of statistical mechanics. The optical energy levels of Eu3+ were calculated from a point charge model. Using the resulting spectra as data, it is shown that details of the structure of the rare-earth ion sites of the simulated glass cannot be reconstructed uniquely from the data. Based on these results, it is concluded that reliable glass structure cannot be deduced from optical spectra