Interconversion between non-bridging oxygen hole center and peroxy radical in F2-laser-irradiated SiO2 glass

Formation processes of the peroxy radical (POR) were examined in high-purity SiO 2 glass exposed to F 2 -laser light which creates mobile atomic oxygen (O 0 ) by photolyzing the interstitial oxygen molecules (O 2 ). It was proved that under these conditions POR is formed by a reaction of the non-bridging oxygen hole center (NBOHC, an oxygen dangling bond) with O 0 , not by a reaction between the E' center (a silicon dangling bond) and O 2 . Subsequent exposure to KrF laser light photolyzes POR and recoveres NBOHC by dissociating the O-O bond in POR. These findings corroborate the important role of O° in defect processes in SiO 2 glass.