Ultraviolet spectra of silicate glasses: A review of some experimental evidence

Ultraviolet spectroscopy is a useful experimental tool for the determination of the electronic structure of glasses. This paper discusses the ultraviolet spectra of SiO₂ and high-purity silicate glasses. It considers in turn, absorption intrinsic to the SiO network, the effects of network modifiers, impurity-induced absorption, luminescence and radiation damage, both permanent and transient, in the wavelength region extending from 90 to 350 nm.