HIGH-ENERGY CU AND O ION COIMPLANTATION INTO SILICA GLASSES

Optical and structural changes of silica glass substrates implanted wi th Cu and O ions and subjected to thermal annealing, are examined as a function of the implantation sequence by optical absorption, Rutherfo rd Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and thin film X-ray diffraction ( XRD) measurements. Before annealing, the distribution of Cu is affecte d by the implantation sequence and O- followed by Cu-implantation lead s to fewer Cu nanoparticles than the Cu- followed by O ion implantatio n. After annealing, however, the redistribution behavior of Cu and opt ical absorption features are similar for both co-implanted samples. Na nocrystals of Cu2O are mainly formed by annealing and the absorption p eaks at about 340, 450 and 480 nm are observed for the co-implanted sa mples. The peaks are possibly evidence for the presence of the copper oxide nanocrystals. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .