Nano-scale quasi-melting of alkali-borosilicate glasses under electron irradiation

Quasi-melting of micro- and nano-samples during transmission electron microscope irradiation of glassy materials is analysed. Overheating and true melting by the electron beam is shown not to be an explanation due to the ultra-sharp boundary between transformed and intact material. We propose that the observed fluidisation (quasi-melting) of glasses can be caused by effective bond breaking processes induced by the energetic electrons in the electron beam. The bond breaking processes modify the effective viscosity of glasses to a low activation energy regime. The higher the electron flux density the lower is the viscosity. Quasi-melting of glasses at high enough electron flux densities can result in shape modification of nano-sized particles including formation of perfect beads due to surface tension. Accompanying effects, such as bubble formation and foil bending are revisited in the light of the new interpretation.