Spontaneous migration of alkalis in glass irradiated by the electron beam

If the glass is exposed by fast electrons the ionized alkali cations can be released from their original sites and are driven by the electric field deeper inside to the glass. The decay curves were measured and two migration regimes have been revealed for alkali ions in the glass. The first regime, the incubation period, is characterised by the individual ion migration, and by the linear-like decay in the decay curve. If the number of released alkali ions achieves the percolation point the first regime bursts into the regime of spontaneous migration that is characterised by the cooperative transport of alkalis and by the rapid exponential decay in the decay curve.