Formation of nano-particle structures induced by ultraviolet laser irradiations in KNbO₃-TeO₂ glass

We report on a novel technique for formation of nano-particle structures in KNbO₃-TeO₂ glasses induced by ultraviolet (UV) XeCl excimer laser irradiations operating at 308 nm wavelength. The glasses with a composition of 0.5Er₂O₃-15K₂O-15Nb ₂O₅-70TeO₂ (mol%), which are known to exhibit a nano-crystallization behavior by heat treatments, have been used in this experiment. It has been found that the morphological properties of nano-particles, such as diameter, height, and distribution density of nano-particles, can be tailored by the pulsed UV laser conditions. The nature of these nano-struetures on glass surface induced by laser processing has been clarified that laser-induced nano-particles are consisting of the same composition as that in glass substrate.