Radiation-Induced Surface Conductivity in an Alkaline-Earth Boroaluminosilicate Glass Measured with Elevated-Temperature Scanning Probe Microscopy

A 50 mW 325 nm He:Cd laser was used to irradiate the fracture surface of a commercial alkaline‐earth boroaluminosilicate display glass (Corning Code 1737) held at temperatures above 800 K. After this treatment, the surface of the glass was found to be conductive for several hours in a temperature range between room temperature and 850 K. The conductivity shows an activation energy of 0.18 eV. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements indicate that the glass surface is semiconducting with a bandgap of ∼4.4 eV. It is possible to form topographical images of the surface of the glass using the electron tunneling current; the observed topography corresponds to that acquired using atomic force imaging from the same area.