Interstitial O atoms in glassy silicon dioxide were created by photolysis of pre-existing interstitial O molecules O2 with a F excimer laser (7.9eV). The concentration of atomic O interstitials was indirectly monitored by the disappearance and subsequent recovery of interstitial molecules which were monitored by their 1272nm photoluminescence band. Most of the O interstitials (>95%) were immobile at room temperature. The onset of their mobility occurred between 200 and 400C where around 95% of them recombine to form O2 molecules. The high stability of interstitial O atoms was consistent with the theoretical prediction that they were incorporated into silica structure in a form of peroxy linkages Si---O---O---Si. The radiation-induced optical absorption band around 7.1eV was tentatively attributed to peroxy linkages.

The Behavior of Interstitial Oxygen Atoms Induced by F2 Laser Irradiation of Oxygen-Rich Glassy SiO2. L.Skuja, K.Kajihara, T.Kinoshita, M.Hirano, H.Hosono: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B, 2002, 191[1-4], 127-30