Implantation-induced structural and surface modification of silica

Abstract

Ion irradiation of silica causes compaction of the substrate over the extent of the ion range and the resulting increase in refractive index has applications to optical waveguide fabrication. Several analytical techniques have been utilized to characterize implantation-induced structural and surface modifications of silica with the aim of yielding further insight into this technologically relevant process. Substrates of both fused silica and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited silica-on-Si were implanted with C, Si or Ge ions at an energy of 5 MeV and a temperature of −196°C over a range of ion fluences. Compaction of the substrate was characterized as a function of ion dose with both standard profilometry and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). With the former, the extent of compaction was dependent on the silica density with a saturation of the compaction for all substrates at an ion fluence of ∼10 15/cm 2. With EXAFS, complementary information on implantation-induced effects at the atomic scale were determined to differentiate the influences of bond length and bond angle changes in the compaction process. No changes in nearest-neighbour bond length were observed following compaction. The condition of the substrate surface during ion implantation was recorded by in situ photography. Cracking of the surface, as a means of stress relief, was observed and thereafter, the evolution of the cracked surface was quantitatively characterized as a function of ion fluence.