Study of the compositional, structural and stress evolutions induced by low-energy argon ions on chemically strengthened glass

Abstract

Abstract The chemically strengthened glasses bombarded by low-energy (100\u202feV) argon ions at room temperature are investigated in order to understand the effect of ion-bombardment on the distribution of alkali metal ions within the glass network. The composition distribution, microstructure evolutions and physical properties of the chemically strengthened glasses before and after bombardment were analyzed by means of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, electron probe micro analysis, Raman spectroscopy and surface stress meter, respectively. Changes of atomic composition and bonding states of Na, K, Si and O were observed with increasing bombardment time. Out-diffused and migrated alkali ions in the exchanged region during bombardment, the peak of potassium ions concentration in the exchanged region decreases and moves into the interior of glasses to different degrees. And two sides of the peak value exhibit significantly different concentration distribution. Moreover, decrease of the scattering intensity of Raman spectral bands connected with silicon-oxygen tetrahedron containing non-bridging oxygens (Q2 and Q3 species) accompanies by the formation of high-coordinate Si species with increasing bombardment time. The values of compressive stress and depth of layer in the chemically strengthened glasses have a trend of decreasing markedly during bombardment. All results have shown that variation of composition distribution, Raman spectral components and surface compressive stress in the exchanged region is indicative of alterations of the silicate network induced by low-energy (100\u202feV) argon ion-bombardment, which provide importance data for the industrial application of the chemically strengthened glasses.