Interaction of vacuum ultraviolet excimer laser radiation with fused silica. III. Negative ion formation

Abstract

We report mass- and time-resolved measurements of negative ions produced by exposing fused silica to 157 nm radiation at fluences below the threshold for optical breakdown. The principal observed negative ions are O−, Si−, and SiO−, in order of decreasing intensity. The peak in the negative ion time-of-flight signals occurs after the peak in the positive ion signal and before the peak in the corresponding neutral atom or molecule signal. The negative ion intensities are strong functions of the degree of overlap between the positive ion and neutral atom densities. We propose that O−, Si−, and SiO− are created after the laser pulse, by electron attachment to these neutral particles and that the electrons participating in attachment events are trapped in the electrostatic potential of the positive ions.