Implantation of periodic structures formed by silver particles into quartz glass

Quartz glass samples with a thin photosensitive AgCl-Ag film, prepared by successive evaporation of AgCl (hAgCl ≈ 35 nm) and Ag (hAg ≈ 8 nm) in vacuum have been investigated. A periodic structure with a period of d = 375 nm formed by Ag particles was obtained in films using a p-polarized laser beam (λ = 532 nm, P = 25 mW) at an angle of incidence of ϕ = 20°. After removing AgCl in a fixing agent, the periodic structure remained on the glass surface. Subsequent irradiation by a CO2 laser (λ = 10.6 µm, P ≈ 20 W) led to the implantation of this structure into the glass with the conservation of its period d and partial conservation of the related dichroism. The fact of implantation is confirmed by the high mechanical and chemical stability of the structure obtained. A possible implantation mechanism, taking into account the thermionic emission, Ag ionic transport, and the presence of free voids in the quartz glass and defects in its structural network, is discussed.