Comparison between point defect generation by γ-rays in bulk and fibre samples of high purity amorphous SiO2

We compare the E´, H(I) and Si-ODC(II) contents in a low-OH high-purity a-SiO₂ either in bulk or fibre forms. We found that the H(I) centre appears during irradiation and tend to increase with the dose if the fibre contains hydrogen excess. This behaviour is believed to be one the possible reason to explain the apparent radiation-sensitivity enhancement in the blue-UV spectrum when the fibre is hydrogenated and irradiated at high dose. However for the hydrogen-treated fibres, no experimental repeatability could be evidenced in the measurements of E´ and Si-ODC(II) although an acceptable agreement was still found in normal samples. This suggests a possible complex reactional mechanisms in presence of gamma radiation when the glass has a hydrogen excess.