Studies of oxide glass structure using laser ionization time of flight mass spectrometry

We report on our work on determining the structure of oxide glasses using laser ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. This technique is especially suitable for investigation of the intermediate-range order in glasses, where it can measure the presence and relative abundance of mesounits composed of 7–20 or more atoms. After introducing the experimental aspects and caveats of this new spectroscopy, we discuss the application of the instrument to a variety of heavy-metal oxide glass families. We separate our networks into those that have superstructural networks and those that show highly fragmented ones, including our studies of lead and bismuth borates, lead silicates, lead vanadates, and bismuth gallates. We also analyse our spectra for evidence of mixing in lead borosilicates, and to clarify the sharing of cations in sodium-doped lead borosilicates.