RADIATION COLOR-CENTER FORMATION IN SILICA GLASSES - A REVIEW OF PHOTO-CHEMICAL AND THERMO-CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM

The results of the investigation of post-irradiation thermo- and photo -stimulated phenomena concerning radiation-induced color centers (RCC) in quartz and silica glasses are presented and discussed in detail. T he new concept was suggested and developed to explain the formation pr ocesses of RCC in silica glasses. Because of impurities (hydrogen, chl orine, etc.) in so-called 'high-purity' silica glasses and because of free-radical-type defects (E' centers and non-bridging oxygen hole cen ters) in their networks, the processes of RCC formation can be conside red not only from the solid state physics point of view, but also as c omplex thermo- and photo-chemical post-radiation reactions.