On the interaction of glasses with high-energy radiation - Combined ESR and optical studies

Abstract

This paper will discuss some aspects of the induced physical processes and chemical reactions which are observed when Silicate and aluminosilicate glasses are exposed to UV radiation (248 nm; excimer laser), γ radiation (⁶⁰Co) and pulses of fast electrons (3.8 MeV). The stimulated emission and absorption of short-lived defects and Čerenkov radiation are detected in the optical ränge between 200 and 800 nm and on the microsecond time scale. Stahle hole centres (Si-0⁻/h⁺, Si-O-Al/h⁺) and electron centres (among others Zn⁺, Cd⁺, (Fe³⁺)⁻) are detected by ESR spectroscopy at room temperature. They show surprising differences in regard to their thermal stability, i.e., the distribution and mean value of their trap depths. Induced absorption in the UV/VIS range exhibits broad and overlapping bands, some of which can be partially assigned to centres detected by ESR spectroscopy. Therefore, UV/VIS spectroscopy provides complementary information, an induced absorption at 300 nm for example, which has no analogy in ESR measurements.