Nanoscale modification of optical properties in Ge-doped SiO2 glass by electron-beam irradiation

In this letter, we demonstrate rapid decomposition in Ge-doped SiO2 glass under high-energy electron irradiation, and comment on possible mechanisms for the interaction of the electron-beam with the glass. Nanometer-scale modifications in Ge-doped SiO2 glasses can be obtained by the redistribution of Ge in the glasses as a result of patterned electron-beam writing.