Structural changes in trajectories of platinum sphere migration via laser illumination

In this study, metal spheres in glass were manipulated via heating using continuous-wave laser illumination. Metals are doped into the trajectory and selective compositional changes in the glass are observed. Meanwhile, the glass structure is modified via rapid heating and quenching. The structure of silica glass modified via platinum sphere migration was examined. Results of electron probe microanalysis confirm the presence of platinum in all trajectories, regardless of its low reactivity with silica glass. Elemental analysis reveals the precipitation of platinum nanoparticles in the trajectories at low migration speeds. Raman and infrared spectrum analyses reveal an increase in the fictive temperature, which increases with the migration velocity. Further, the etching rate increases with the sphere velocity. This study demonstrates that the structure of glass can be locally modified via platinum sphere migration, which depends on the sphere migration velocity.