Sequential ion implantation of two metal species in silica glass may give
rise to the formation of alloy metal nanoclusters. Composite materials with
peculiar optical properties can be therefore fabricated, with application in
integrated-optical devices. In the presented experiments, different couples
of transition elements were sequentially implanted in a silica glass. The
resulting systems, in some cases after annealing in either reducing or
oxidizing atmosphere, were studied by several analytical techniques, such as
transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The
formation of different alloy nanoclusters was evidenced, together with the
cluster crystalline structure and the chemical environment of the dopant
species.