Intrinsic-Defect Photoluminescence in Amorphous SiO2

Abstract

The first observation of photoluminescence (PL) originating from intrinsic defects in annealed and neutron-irradiated amorphous ($a-$)Si${\mathrm{O}}_2$ is reported. The PL is compared with that for $a$-${\mathrm{As}}_2$ ${\mathrm{S}}_3$. The PL spectra scale with energy band gap and the temperature dependence of the PL quantum efficiencies scale with glass transition temperature. This strongly suggests that defects in $a$-Si${\mathrm{O}}_2$ and semiconducting chalcogenide glasses are similar.