This paper describes photosensitive properties and spectroscopic studies on the xPbO(100 - x)[6-)[6TeO(2)center dot 4V(2)O(5)] (where x = 0-100 mol%) glass system. Our FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopic data and density measurements exhibit compositional dependent trends and the existence of characteristic vanadate (orthovanadate, pyrovanadate) structural units in these glasses. By laser exposures of the samples, variations observed in the FTIR and UV-vis spectra show that the existence a redox couple between lead ions and vanadate network. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.