Intrinsic defects induced by β-irradiation in silica

We report an electron paramagnetic resonance study of defects induced by β-irradiation in natural and synthetic samples of high purity commercial silica. Data are collected for the E′ centers and a resonance satellite signal split by 1.36 mT. By comparison with the effects of γ-irradiation it is shown that the mechanisms of defect generation are the same for the two irradiation sources and that in the high-dose limit they involve intrinsic defects of the glassy matrix. Moreover, the high concentration of defects generated by β-irradiation modifies the EPR spectrum due to spin–spin interaction.

Optical transitions associated with non bridging oxygen hole centers in irradiated silica

Optical properties of oxygen-deficiency related centers in amorphous SiO 2 investigated by synchrotron radiation

We report an investigation of the photoluminescence activity at 4.4 v eV in g -irradiated silica under UV and vacuum-UV excitation by synchrotron radiation. Our results evidence two iso-energetic contributions which can be related to two oxygen-deficient centers variants: ODC(I) and ODC(II). The first, excited within the 7.6 v eV absorption, is detected only at low temperature and has a lifetime of about 2 v ns. The second exhibits two excitation maxima peaked at 5.0 and 6.8 v eV, its amplitude decreases by a factor 2 on increasing the temperature whereas its lifetime has a value of about 4 v ns. These features give new insights on the excitation pathway of the 4.4 v eV emission involving t…

Competitive relaxation processes of oxygen deficient centers in silica

Physical review / B 67, 033202 (2003). doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.67.033202