EFFECTS OF SUBSTRATE-TEMPERATURE AND NOMINAL DOSE ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF INDIUM IMPLANTED HIGH-PURITY SILICA

Two series of nanometer dimension metal colloid-glass composites have been fabricated by ion implantation of In in high purity silica glass. One series was implanted at different substrate temperatures while ho lding the dose constant at 6x10(16) ions/cm(2). Substrate temperatures used were similar to 100, 273, 463 and 673 K. The second series was i mplanted with doses of 3, 6, 9, and 12 x 10(16) ions/cm(2) while holdi ng the substrate temperature constant at 100 K. The properties of thes e series of samples were measured using backscattering transmission (R BS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and optical spectroscopy. RBS results show that a bimodal distribution of the ions occurs for a ll doses and substrate temperatures. TEM measurements show that spheri cal colloids are formed and the mean particle size is a function of no minal dose and substrate temperature during implantation. The colloids formed at the higher substrate temperature are amorphous while they h ave crystalline structure for the lower substrate temperature. The opt ical spectra exhibit a 1/lambda dependence with an absorption peak cen tered at similar to 260 nm due to the surface plasmon resonance of the In particles. The optical properties are also a function of nominal d ose and substrate temperature during implantation.