Preparation of thick GeO2 glass film with high UV photosensitivity

Hexagonal GeO2 ceramic films were fabricated at room temperature via an acid induced liquid phase deposition (LPD) method. Thick GeO2 glass films were prepared using a melting and quick cooling technique. The glass films were annealed in a mixed hydrogen/nitrogen gas atmosphere to create more oxygen vacancies. The intensity of 5-eV absorption band enhances with increase of annealing temperature as well as time. The activation energy of oxygen vacancy formation is calculated to be 0.91 ± 0.05 eV. The 5-eV absorption band is photobleachable, and the saturated absorptivity change reaches 575 ± 17 cm− 1.