STUDY OF THE OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF FUSED QUARTZ AFTER A SEQUENTIAL IMPLANTATION WITH SI AND AU IONS

Implantation of Au ions into Si-implanted fused quartz strongly enhanc es the photoluminescence (PL) intensity around 630 nm measured after s ubsequent sample annealing at 900 degrees C. This effect is attributed to the enhancement of the formation of Si nanocrystals by the presenc e of Au ions and not by ion-implantation-induced defects. This conclus ion was deduced by monitoring the defect formation in fused silica by 2 MeV Si ion implantation with doses ranging from 2 x 10(16) to 1 x 10 (17) Si/cm(2). Some of the 4 x 10(16) Si/cm(2)-implanted samples were reimplanted at a similar depth with 10 MeV Au ions at. doses of 4 x 10 (16) and 1.2 x 10(17) Au/cm(2). The absorption spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance and PL measurements show the presence of B-2 an d E' matrix point defects in as-prepared Si-implanted samples. As thes e defects disappear after annealing at 600 degrees C, the presence of a strong PL peak in samples implanted and annealed at 900 degrees C st rongly suggests that the observed luminescence is produced by Si nanop article formation. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.