Electron irradiation induced outgrowths from quartz

Abstract
The irradiation of natural and ultrapure synthetic crystalline quartz by a stationary electron beam produces surface outgrowths, which have been analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, and microscopy. Oxygen enrichment of the quartz surface occurs due to electromigration resulting from the trapped charge induced electric field. It is proposed that the accumulated oxygen is incorporated into the quartz surface structure as peroxy linkages, the formation of which results in the permanent volume increase observed as amorphous outgrowths on crystalline quartz. A cathodoluminescence emission at 2.3 eV localized on the outgrowths, is attributed to an intrinsic process.

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