Search

H+-implantation in Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) crystals causes some interesting effects, such as radiation damage, optical absorption and optical waveguide formation in the near-surface region of the crystals. There are similarities between the refractive index profiles of the H+ and He+ implanted waveguides in that the index is enhanced throughout the guiding layer. The maximum increase in index was ∼0.7% after an implant of 8 × 1016 H+ ions/cm2 at 0.4 MeV. The colour of the BGO samples after H+-implantation changed to brown. Whilst it can be assumed that ion beam-induced decomposition may happen during ion implantation, this is probably only a small factor in the colouration and index change since it is only apparent for the H+ implants. a4