High photosensitivity and nanometer-scale phase separation in GeO_2–SiO_2 glass thin films

Amorphous xGeO(2)-(1-x)SiO(2) thin films exhibit large negative index changes (4-8%) in the high GeO(2) region (x>~0.25) on irradiation with ArF laser pulses. The sign of the index change is opposite the low GeO(2) region X<0.25, and the magnitude of the index change is larger by an order of magnitude than that reported so far. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscope observation has revealed that nanometer-scale phase separation is induced in these highly photosensitive glasses by irradiation with ArF excimer laser light pulses or electron beams. This is a first finding of microphase separation in SiO(2)-GeO(2) glasses by irradiation and provides an essential constraint on the modeling of photonic effects induced by irradiation in these glasses.