X-Ray Induced Optical Absorption in Densified Silica Glass in the UV Region

Abstract

ABSTRACTX-ray induced optical absorption has been studied on silica glasses densified by hot isostatic pressing. Density of the glass increases up to about 1% in proportion to the operating pressure. Two main absorption bands centered at 5.8eV(215nm) and 4.8eV(260nm) are induced both in the densified and undensified glasses under the irradiation of X-rays at room temperature. The 5.8eV band is enhanced with the increase in density for the glass with low-OH content(<˜200ppm), but is decreased slightly for the glass with high-OH content(>˜200ppm). On the other hand, the 4.8eV band decreases with the increase in density irrespective of OH content, and reaches at a constant value above the densification of about 0.5%. It is found that these absorption bands originate in point defects in the glass and that the densification improves the optical durability of the glass against X-rays when hydroxyl impurities are contained in the glass.