Structural relaxation in sputter-deposited silica glass

We investigated structural relaxation below the glass transition temperature in sputter-deposited silica glass. Structural relaxation was obtained from annealing behavior of the IR reflection structural band position. Results were compared with that of bulk silica glass. Results showed the following. (1) The structural relaxation time is 106 times shorter than that of bulk silica glass. (2) The activation energy is close to that of bulk silica glass. (3) Once the structural relaxation reaches a steady state, the structure of silica glass film resembles that of bulk silica glass.