Visible photoluminescence (PL) bands around 2 eV were studied in 60Co γ-irradiated (dose<1 MGy) oxygen-deficient-type amorphous SiO2 (a-SiO2) excited by 2–4 eV photons. In addition to the well-known 1.9 eV PL band due to nonbridging oxygen hole centers, another PL band was observed at 2.2 eV when excited by 3.8 eV photons. The intensity of the 2.2 eV band increases with decreasing oxygen partial pressure during the sample preparation. Electron-spin-resonance measurements show that the intensity of the 2.2 eV band is correlated with the concentration of the Eδ′ center, a paramagnetic state of a cluster of silicons. After much higher γ irradiation with a dose up to 10 MGy, a new PL band was induced at 1.75 eV under excitation by 2.5 eV photons, as well as the 1.9 and 2.2 eV PL bands. By comparing its spectral shape and excitation energy with known PL band in Si-implanted a-SiO2, it is suggested that the 1.75 eV band is associated with Si nanocrystals formed from Si clusters in a-SiO2 by the high-dose γ irradiation.

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Previous studies have reported the existence of a green photoluminescence (PL) band in oxygen-deficient silica glass when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. Oxygen deficient defects (Eδ′) were thought to be the origin of this PL band. In this article, we describe the characteristics of a green PL band in oxygen-surplus silica glass (excited by visible and UV light). At room temperature, we observed the full width at half maximum and lifetime of this PL band to be about 0.2 eV and 300 ns, which differed from the previously reported values of 0.4 eV and 20–30 ns, respectively. We propose that the peroxy radical (O3≡Si–O–O↑,↑: unpaired electron) or other oxygen surplus defects are the cause of this green PL band rather than oxygen deficient defects.

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