Effects of H2 impregnation on excimer-laser-induced oxygen-deficient center formation in synthetic SiO2 glass

We examined the effect of H-2 impregnation on defect formation upon F-2 laser (7.9 eV) and ArF excimer laser (6.4 eV) irradiation. It was revealed that H-2 impregnation enhanced the formation of oxygen-deficient center (Si-Si bond) as well as suppressed the formation of E' center and nonbridging oxygen hole center. A Si-Si bond gives an intense absorption band peaking at 7.6 eV, which contributes the absorption at the wavelength of F-2 laser light. These results indicate that H-2-free SiO2 glass, which is clearly inappropriate for KrF and ArF excimer laser optics, is more suitable for F-2 laser optics than H-2-impregnated glass. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.