The effect of radiation on the OH− infrared absorption of quartz crystals

Abstract

The effect of 1.6-MeV-electron irradiation on the infrared properties of high-purity quartz crystals has been studied. The infrared bands assciated with OH− impurities in SiO2 crystals are strongly temperature dependent and must be studied at 77 K or below. Prolonged electron irradiation at low temperature suppresses all of the OH− bands, but these bands recover when the crystals are annealed to approximately 740 K. If as-grown crystals are irradiated at 300 K, the intensity of the OH− bands decreases and two new bands appear at 3367 and 3306 cm−1. The relative absorption intensity of these two bands depends on radiation temperature and dose.