Irradiation of potassium‐silicate glass surfaces: XPS and REELS study

The surface composition and chemical structure of potassium‐silicate glass (K 2 O‐SiO 2 ) with 15  m % K 2 O and vitreous silica glasses (SiO 2 ) were studied. Freshly fractured glass surfaces were irradiated by X‐ray AlKα radiation (1486.6 eV) and an electron beam (2000 eV) with various doses. As a consequence of photon irradiation, analyzed glass surfaces were enriched by potassium and the ratio of non‐bridging (NBO) to bridging oxygen (BO) increased with exposure dose. Optical properties of glass surfaces were studied by reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS). Electron irradiation induced changes in the loss spectra of the K 2 O–SiO 2 glass. Refractive indexes of the non‐irradiated and irradiated K 2 O–SiO 2 glass were derived. Changes in refractive index were related with potassium ions migration in the irradiated region. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.