X-ray absorption fine structure study on coordination state of implanted gold ions in silica glass

Coordination state of gold atoms implanted in silica glass to an energy of 1.5 MeV and a dose of 1 × 10 17 ions/cm 2 has been studied by x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. It was found that most of the gold atoms form gold clusters in which the nearest neighboring Au–Au interatomic distance is shorter by 0.05 °A than that in bulk gold. The contraction of Au–Au interatomic distance of gold clusters in silica glass is less than that reported in the previous studies on gold clusters within the other substrates. Gold atoms are coordinated by about four gold atoms in average. In addition, it was found that Au–O bonds are formed at the gold clusters/silica glass interface. It was deduced that the formation of Au–O bond at the gold clusters/silica glass interface depresses the contraction of Au–Au interatomic distance.