Oxygen-related red photoluminescence bands in silica glasses

Abstract Previous studies have reported the existence of a photoluminescence (PL) band in silica glass that originates from oxygen molecules (PL peak: ∼0.97 eV, full width at half maximum (FWHM): ∼10 meV, decay time ( τ ): ⩾100 ms) and ozone (PL peak: ∼1.9 eV, FWHM: ∼0.12 eV, τ : uncertain) following irradiation by F 2 laser (7.9 eV), γ-rays, and neutrons. In this paper, we report the PL properties produced by high-temperature (1200–1500 °C) oxygen processing carried out on silica glass in air. The red PL band (peak: ∼1.85 eV, FWHM: ∼0.33 eV, τ : ∼5 ms) was observed for the case of high-temperature oxygen processing. Our studies indicate that the oxygen processing is closely related to the generation of the 1.85 eV PL.