Luminescence of localized states in oxidized and fluorinated silica glass

TL;DR

This study investigates the photoluminescence properties of oxidized and fluorinated silica glasses, revealing how chemical modifications influence localized electronic states and luminescence behavior.

Contribution

It provides new insights into how oxidation and fluorination alter the electronic transitions of localized states in silica glasses without changing their concentration.

Findings

Oxidation and fluorination do not change localized state concentration.

Electronic transitions shift to higher energies due to chemical modifications.

Luminescence is suppressed in high OH content glasses but can be induced by UV irradiation.

Abstract

The photoluminescence of oxidized and fluorinated nominally pure silica glasses, which have good optical transparency in the optical gap, has been investigated under excitation by excimer lasers. The data are compared with the data for chlorinated silica glass, as well as glass containing OH. The excitation of localized states provides the release and capture of charge carriers, despite the low absorption coefficient. Holes are self-trapped. The recombination in the thermally activated or tunnel process creates luminescence of oxygen-deficient centers. It is concluded that oxidation and fluorination do not change the concentration of localized states, but they change the electronic transitions of localized states to higher energies. In type III glass with a high OH content, luminescence is suppressed by the presence of hydrogen and appears after irradiation with photons of 7.9 eV of the F2 laser. This can also be the evidence of existing of localized states even in such glasses.