Formation of luminescent centers in photo-thermo-refractive silicate glasses under the action of UV laser nanosecond pulses

It is shown experimentally that the result of the UV nanosecond laser irradiation of the silver-containing photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glasses depends on the pre-history of glass. If the PTR glass was preliminary irradiated by the UV radiation by UV mercury lamp into the absorption band of Ce3+ ions the laser irradiation results in the silver molecular clusters (MCs) luminescence quenching. If the PTR glass was not preliminary irradiated by the UV radiation the UV nanosecond laser irradiation action results in the silver MCs luminescence appearance. The subsequent thermal treatment below the glass transition temperature results to the increase of the luminescence intensity. The thermal treatment above the glass transition temperature led to the silver nanoparticles formation and to luminescence quenching.