Irradiation temperature effects on the induced point defects in Ge-doped optical fibers

We present an experimental investigation on the combined effects of temperature and irradiation on Ge-doped optical fibers. Our samples were X-ray (10 ke V) irradiated up to 5 kGy with a dose rate of 50 Gy(SiO2)/s changing the irradiation temperature in the range 233-573 K. After irradiation we performed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and confocal microscopy luminescence (CML) measurements. The recorded data prove the generation of different Ge related paramagnetic point defects and of a red emission, different from that of the Ge/Si Non-Bridging Oxygen Hole center. Furthermore, by comparing the behaviour of the EPR signal of the Ge(1) as a function of the irradiation temperature with the one of the red emission we can exclude that this emission is originated by the Ge(1).