XPS and SIMS investigations on plasma-treated glass surfaces

Commercially available float-glass samples were exposed to ion bombardment in an HF-plasma. This should form an SiO₂-rich layer close to the surface of the samples. From XPS-investigations it was found that treatment times between 2 and 4 min in Ar plasma lead to a pronounced depletion of alkalis. Further FAB-SIMS depth profiles gave additional information about the extension of the layers with altered stoichiometry.