Gallium doped SiO2: Towards a new luminescent material

We show how the interaction between Ga atoms and silica samples in a hot environment gives rise to permanent inclusions of Ga inside the silica matrix which, in turn, produce typical luminescence features. The Ga doped silica is analyzed via laser induced fluorescence, photoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies. The results evidence the presence of modifications induced by the Ga inclusions inside the silica matrix and some preliminary hypothesis on their nature are advanced. Possible applications of such Ga doped silica are also mentioned.