Optical Properties of Gamma Irradiated Soda-Lime Silicate Glasses Exchanged with Copper

The effect of copper ion exchange upon the optical absorption and room temperature gamma colouration of soda lime silicate glasses has been investigated. After ion exchange performed at 720 K, copper ions substitute mainly the alkali ions and do modify the optical absorption spectra of the specimens. It has been shown that gamma irradiation does not induce the formation of colloidal copper. Moreover, the colouration process itself is independent of the presence of copper ions. The generated colour centres are rather related to the presence of sodium and potassium ions. The optical bleaching by the UV light occurs in two stages. First disappear centres related to the Na-type defects and next those related to the K-type defects.