Green luminescence in silica glass: A possible indicator of subsurface fracture

Jessica Fournier (1, 2) , Jérôme Neauport (1) , Pierre Grua (1) , Evelyne Fargin (2) , Veronique Jubera (2) , David Talaga (3) , Stéphane Jouannigot (4)

1 CEA-CESTA - Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
2 ICMCB - Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux
3 ISM - Institut des Sciences Moléculaires
4 LCTS - Laboratoire des Composites Thermostructuraux

We investigate the nature of defects triggering laser damage in fused silica in subsurface fractures in nanosecond near ultraviolet regime. Mechanical, laser induced surface flaws as well as pristine silica surface were characterized by optical microscopy and luminescence confocal microscopy before and after acid etching. In all cases, photoluminescence decreases with etching time assessing the existence of defects close to the surface. Spectral analysis of the evolution of these signals during etching allows new interpretations of the nature of precursors inducing damage. Green luminescence around 2.25 eV is seen as a potential subsurface fracture indicator leading to laser damage.

Keywords: Luminescence; Acids; Photoluminescence; Silica; Etching

Domains: Optics [physics.optics]; Chemical Sciences; Material chemistry

Jessica Fournier, Jérôme Neauport, Pierre Grua, Evelyne Fargin, Veronique Jubera, et al.. Green luminescence in silica glass: A possible indicator of subsurface fracture. Applied Physics Letters, 2012, 100 (11), pp.114103. ⟨10.1063/1.3693393⟩. ⟨cea-01623583⟩