On the mechanism of the photochromic process in copper-halide photochromicglasses

It is demonstrated that copper oxides (specifically cuprous oxide) play an important role in the photochromism of standard FKhS-7 glasses. The absorpt ion spectra of the FKhS glasses are compared with the spectrum of glasses w ith microscopic cuprous oxide particles and the spectra of cuprous oxide de posited on various substrates. Solid-phase photochemical reactions in heter osystems are shown to be responsible for photochromism. (c) 1999 American I nstitute of Physics. [S1063-7842(99)01605-0].