ABSTRACTThe modification of the chemical structure of fluorozirconate glasses (ZBLAN) with Ar ion and atom beams of low energy (2–10 key) has been studied in comparison with the damage produced in the starting polycrystalline ZrF4 and BaF2. A variety of reduced chemical states of Zr is produced in ZrF4 as well as in ZBLAN glasses, including metallic Zr0 state. A strong enhancement of the amount of the metallic Zr formed under irradiation is observed in ZBLAN, while it is present only as trace in the irradiated pure ZrF4 samples. The reported effect is tentatively attributed to the presence of Ba ions in the glass network which could prompt the self-trapping of radiation-induced defects at the Zr sites, involving their progressive reduction
