A new intrinsic defect in amorphous SiO₂: Twofold coordinated silicon

The well known optical absorption band at 5.03 eV (the "B₂ band") and luminescence band at 4.3 eV in amorphous SiO₂ are due to singlet-to-singlet transitions, while the luminescence band at 2.65 eV - due to triplet-to-singlet transitions in a silicon-related intrinsic defect. This defect occurs both in the bulk and on the surface. Luminescence polarization data indicate C_2v symmetry. The most probable model for this center is a silicon atom with only two neighboring oxygens. Such defects form a separate class of valence alternation defects, characteristic for amorphous materials having atoms in tetrahedral coordination.