In-situ observation of beta-ray induced UV optical absorption in a-SiO2: radiation darkening and room temperature recovery

International audience; We studied the optical absorption in the 3.0-6.2 eV range induced in bulk amorphous SiO2 by beta-ray irradiation up to similar to 1 MGy at room temperature. The induced absorption was measured in situ both during irradiation and in the post irradiation time. Our data evidence E', center as the main defect induced by irradiation and the partial decay of their absorption band at about 5.8 eV after irradiation. A quantitative analysis of the time evolution of the induced absorption shows that the transmission recovery observed after irradiation is compatible with the reaction of radiation-induced defects with H-related (H-2, H2O) species diffusing in the amorphous matrix

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Annealing of radiation induced oxygen deficient point defects in amorphous silicon dioxide: evidence for a distribution of the reaction activation energies

The selective annealing of point defects with different activation energies is studied, by performing sequences of thermal treatments on gamma irradiated silica samples in the temperature range 300-450 °C. Our experiments show that the dependence on time of the concentration of two irradiation induced point defects in silica, named ODC(II) (standing for oxygen deficient centre II) and the E(γ)(') centre, at a given temperature depends on the thermal history of the sample for both of the centres studied; moreover in the long time limit this concentration reaches an asymptotic value that depends on the treatment temperature alone. These results suggest the existence of a distribution of the a…

<title>Study of color centers in optical fibers to be used for ITER plasma diagnostics</title>

ABSTRACT The paper presents a comparative study, by off-line measurements of the irradiation induced optical attenuation in several large diameter (600 µm) optical fibers subjected to gamma-rays and neutron irradiation. The optical fiber samples fall into two categories: optical fibers with an enhanced UV transmission (high OH content core) and solarization resistant optical fibers. The irradiation conditions were as follows: a) gamma irradiation at a 60 Co source, with a dose rate of 0.33 kGy/h +/- 5%, up to the maximum total irradiation dose of 313 kGy; b) neutron irradiation (mean energy 5.2 MeV) using a deuteron beam (13 MeV) and a thick beryllium target, for a total fluence of 6x10 12 …

Generation of oxygen deficient point defects in silica by γ and β irradiation

We report an experimental study of the effects of y and β irradiation on the generation of a point defect known as ODC(II) in various types of commercial silica (a-SiO 2 ). The ODC(II) has been detected by means of photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy measuring the PL band centered at 4.4 eV and excited at 5.0 eV associated to this defect. Our experiments show that ODC(II) are induced in all the investigated materials after irradiation at doses higher than 5 x 10 2 kGy. A good agreement is observed between the efficiencies of generation of ODC(II) under y and β irradiation, enabling a comprehensive study up to the dose of 5 x 10 6 kGy. Two different growth rates, one in the low and one in th…

Effects of high pressure thermal treatments in oxygen and helium atmospheres on amorphous silicon dioxide and its radiation hardness

The effects of thermal treatments at similar to 400 degrees C in oxygen or helium atmospheres at similar to 180 baron the radiation hardness of amorphous SiO(2) are studied. The generation efficiency of several point defects under gamma irradiation is compared to that of the untreated material. All the effects on point defects generation here observed can be explained in terms of changes in the precursor sites. In particular it has been observed that the thermal treatments can change the precursors sites of point defects both through temperature and pressure related processes, not depending on the atmosphere, and through oxygen related processes creating oxygen excess sites. The presence of…

Thermal stability of gamma-irradiation-induced oxygen-deficient centers in silica

The effects of isochronal thermal treatments on three {gamma}-irradiation-induced point defects, named the E{sup '}, ODC(II), and H(I) centers, are investigated in various types of commercial silica (a-SiO{sub 2}). ODC(II) is investigated by means of photoluminescence spectroscopy, and the H(I) and E{sup '} centers by electron paramagnetic resonance. The annealing processes of the ODC(II) and H(I) center are shown to be independent of each other, and no conversion mechanisms are evidenced. In contrast, a strong similarity is observed between the annealing curves of the ODC(II) and E{sup '} centers. We tentatively ascribe the annealing processes to reactions of the defects with radiolyticall…

Evaluation of the UV Optical Transmission Degradation of Gamma-ray Irradiated Optical Fibers

This paper highlights our recent results on the investigation of the transmission attenuation in the UV spectral range induced by gamma-ray irradiation of optical fibers, and the comparison with results obtained by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and photoluminescence measurements.

Intrinsic generation of OH groups in dry silicon dioxide upon thermal treatments

We show the existence of an intrinsic generation mechanism of OH groups in synthetic dry silica upon thermal treatments. Samples are treated for ~160 h at 390 °C in He at 2.7 or 180 bar, and the growth of the OH IR absorption band at 3670 cm−1 is observed. An OH concentration of ~10^18 cm^−3 is estimated. Possible contributions of reactions with molecules absorbed from the atmosphere are excluded. Reactions with H2O already contained in the samples are rejected by IR measurements. The observed OH generation is attributed to the reaction of network sites with H2 already present in the material. Possible reaction paths are examined

Importance of Spin-Orbit Interaction for the Electron Spin Relaxation in Organic Semiconductors

Despite the great interest organic spintronics has recently attracted, there is only a partial understanding of the fundamental physics behind electron spin relaxation in organic semiconductors. Mechanisms based on hyperfine interaction have been demonstrated, but the role of the spin-orbit interaction remains elusive. Here, we report muon spin spectroscopy and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements on two series of molecular semiconductors in which the strength of the spin-orbit interaction has been systematically modified with a targeted chemical substitution of different atoms at a particular molecular site. We find that the spin-orbit interaction is a significant source of electro…

In-situ observation of β-ray induced optical absorption in a-SiO2: radiation darkening and room temperature recovery

Role ofH2Oin the thermal annealing of theEγ′center in amorphous silicon dioxide

The model for the annealing of a radiation-induced point defect in silica, the ${\text{E}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ center, is identified in the temperature range $(150--550)\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\text{C}$. Thermal treatments in controlled atmospheres of water vapor, oxygen, or helium of irradiated amorphous silicon dioxide are carried out. Direct experimental evidences that the annealing of the ${\text{E}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ center is caused by a reaction with diffusing water molecules are found. A rate equation system describing this annealing process is inferred, and its solutions are compared with experimental data to obtain quantitative …

Study of the color centers in optical fibers to be used for ITER plasma diagnostics.

Role of H2O in the thermal annealing of the E’_gamma center in amorphous silicon dioxide

Study of color centers in optical fibers to be used for ITER plasma diagnostics

Comparison Between Point Defect Generation by $\gamma$-rays in Bulk and Fibre Samples of High Purity Amorphous ${\hbox {SiO}}_{2}$

We compare the E', H(I) and Si-ODC(II) contents in a low-OH high-purity a-SiO2 either in bulk or fibre forms. We found that the H(I) centre appears during irradiation and tend to increase with the dose if the fibre contains hydrogen excess. This behaviour is believed to be one the possible reason to explain the apparent radiation-sensitivity enhancement in the blue-UV spectrum when the fibre is hydrogenated and irradiated at high dose. However for the hydrogen-treated fibres, no experimental repeatability could be evidenced in the measurements of E' and Si-ODC(II) although an acceptable agreement was still found in normal samples. This suggests a possible complex reactional mechanisms in pr…