Thermal equilibrium of Ge-related defects in a GeO2-SiO2 glass

In a 15.7 GeO2 . 84.3 SiO2 glass prepared by a vapor axial deposition method, optical absorptions at 4.92 and 5.08 eV were observed from 300 to 600 K. The results were then compared with electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement using the same samples. The absorption at 4.92 eV was found to increase with increasing temperature, while the optical absorption at 5.08 eV decreased with increasing temperature. These changes of optical absorption indicate that the concentration of neutral oxygen monovacancy is reduced at higher temperatures. The changes were quite reversible with the temperature. Concentration of Ge E' center, estimated from ESR, increased with increasing temperature, which is in contrast with the decrease of neutral oxygen monovacancy. The present result strongly suggests the thermal equilibrium reaction between neutral oxygen monovacancy and Ge E' center. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.