Abstract
Optical absorption and DC conductivity of amorphous (P
2
O
5
)
50
-(CuO)
50−x
-(Na
2
O)
x
, systems are measured as a function of sodium content up to 15mol%. The electrical resistivity and the activation energy increase with the sodium content. The optical absorption data obtained from the glasses suggest that the ratio [Cu
+
]/[Cu
2+
] in the glasses increases with increase in soda content. Thus the observed change in conductivity and optical absorption may be attributed to the change in the ratio of concentration of Cu
+
and Cu
2+
ions in the glasses as a consequence of changing the sodium content.