AG-SB AND SB-AG IMPLANTATIONS INTO HIGH-PURITY SILICA

Silica composites containing nanometer dimension colloids have been fa bricated by implantation of Ag ions followed by Sb ions, and by implan tation of Sb ions followed by Ag ions.; Doses for the sequential eleme nt implantations were in ratios of 9:3 Ag:Sb and 3:9 Sb:Ag with the to tal dose held constant al 12 x 10(16) ions/cm(2), Energies of implanta tion were 305 keV for the Ag ions and 320 keV for the Sb ions, Single element colloids were also fabricated by implantation of Ag or Sb usin g the same nominal dose and implantation energy of the sequential impl antations. Approximately spherical particles were formed in all implan ted samples, Microstructures of the nanoclusters in the various sample s were markedly different, Selected area diffraction techniques reveal ed that alloyed phases of Ag-Sb were formed in same of the sequential implantations. The microstructure and the optical response of the nano cluster glass composites were found Co be strongly dependent upon the order of the ion species implanted. The optical spectra of the 3:9 Sb: Ag sample displays two resonance peaks indicative of a Ag resonance pe ak and a resonance peak of an alloyed phase o Ag-Sb, Optical spectra f or the 9:3 AE:Sb sample displays two broad absorption peaks indicative of coated particles.