Nitrogen and Argon Irradiation of Silver-Implanted Silica

Abstract

Implants of 2 × 10 16 1.3 MeV Ag/cm 2 and 4 × 10 16 2.0 MeV Ag/cm 2 were made into fused silica samples and produced a nearly flat depth profile as determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The samples were subsequently implanted with N- and Ar-ions in the energy range of 300-800 keV and at fluence levels of 1 × 10 17 - 2 × 10 17 /cm 2 . These latter implantations modified both the Ag depth profiles and the Agcolloid optical absorption features. The relationship of these changes to the implanted ion parameters and the glass structure are discussed.