Modification of the optical properties of glass by sequential ion implantation

Abstract

The linear and nonlinear optical properties of a series of samples formed by the sequential implantation of Ti, O and Au in high purity silica are examined. Energies of implantation for each ion were chosen using TRIM calculations to insure overlap of the ion distributions. The Ti was implanted with nominal doses of 1.2 and 2 × 10 17 ions/cm 2. The samples were implanted with oxygen to the same nominal dose as the Ti. Au was then implanted with a nominal dose of 6 × 10 16 ions/cm 2. The samples were subsequently annealed in oxygen at 900°C for two hours. The Ti is incorporated into the host network, whereas the Au forms nanosize colloids. The presence of the Ti in the substrate causes a shift in the surface plasmon resonance frequency of the Au metal colloids as well as increase in the nonlinear response of the composites. The results are interpreted using effective medium theory.