RADIATION-INDUCED DEFECT FORMATION IN SILICA GLASSES

The dose dependence of the induced absorption and TL peaks and the results of the thermal treatment of the samples affected by the Co-60 gamma-ray, n-gamma reactor radiation, and proton fluences are analyzed. The generation of displaced oxygen atoms and their vacancies is proved to be possible under gamma-radiation, causing the destruction of aluminum-alkaline centres, the decrease of the absorption band at 550 nm and of the TL peak intensity, noticeable at doses above 5 x 10(6) Gy. In reactor-irradiated samples the absorption band at 550 nm is induced by the gamma-radiation of the reactor. The transformation of the aluminum-alkaline centres having an absorption band at 550 nm into aluminum-hydrogen centres under the proton irradiation is found.