SILICA GLASS WITH SATURATED INDUCED ABSORPTION AND METHOD OF MAKING

A silica glass article, such as a lens in a stepper/scanner system, having saturated induced absorption at wavelengths of less than about 250 nm. Saturated induced absorption is achieved by first removing Si-O defects in the silica glass by forming silicon hydride (SiH) at such defects, and loading the silica glass with hydrogen to react with E′ centers formed by photolysis of SiH in the silica glass article. The silicon hydride is formed by loading the silica glass with molecular hydrogen at temperatures of at least 475° C. After formation of SiH, the silica glass is loaded with additional molecular hydrogen at temperatures of less than 475° C.