Surface Structure of Ion-Implanted Silica Glass

Abstract
The structure of silica glass implanted with O+, B+ and Ag+ at an acceleration energy of the order of MeV has been investigated by infrared reflection and Raman scattering spectroscopies. It is found that the Si–O–Si bond angle decreases with ion implantation. Three-fold siloxane rings are formed with ion implantation. It is deduced that compaction of silica glass caused by ion implantation is attributed to the decrease in the Si–O–Si bond angle and the formation of small siloxane rings. The modification of the silica glass structure caused by ion implantation is similar to that caused by neutron irradiation.