Annealing of silica glasses implanted with high-energy copper ions

Silica glasses were implanted with 1.8 MeV Cu ions at a dose of 0.32-1.3 x 10(17) ions/cm(2) at a temperature of less than 300 degrees C. The thermal annealing of the samples was carried out in air in the range of 300-1100 degrees C, and the effects on the formation and growth of Cu nanoparticles were examined as a function of ion dose and annealing temperature using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and optical absorption measurements. It was found that the broad absorption band between 250-400 nm was increased and the average radius of Cu particles was slightly decreased where the total concentration of Cu was not changed up to 700 degrees C. This suggests that small Cu precipitates were generated. The surface plasmon resonance absorption at approximately 570 nm was clearly developed at 800 degrees C. In addition, the average radius of Cu particles increased as the annealing temperature increased from 800-1000 degrees C. However, the concentration of Cu began to decrease at temperatures above 800 degrees C. The plasmon absorption also decreased in intensity with increasing temperature, which indicated that the amount of Cu particles had decreased. The decrease of the amount of Cu particles was affected by ion dose.