Electronic and vibrational states of oxygen and sulfur molecular ions inside implanted SiO2 films

The paper presents the results of a low-temperature time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) investigation of thin SiO₂ films implanted with either oxygen or sulfur ions. Both PL and PLE spectra of the samples demonstrate vibronic oscillations which were attributed to the ground and excited states of sulfur- and oxygen-related molecular species. Vibrational frequencies and anharmonicity parameters calculated from the experimental data agree well with known literature. The most intensive excitation is observed in the spectral region of silica matrix excitons. It is established that such high-energy irradiation leads to non-bridging oxygen hole center creation as well as to the luminescence of molecular species. The results obtained on silica film modification could be of interest for future planar waveguides and thin oxide structure design.