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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
Soda-lime-silica glasses were treated by an argon plasma, that was generated by an inductively-coupled rf power supply. The surface composition of the treated glasses were profiled using SIMS, and the glass structure was probed using diffuse reflectance FTIR spectroscopy. A Buehler Micromet II (micro hardness tester) was used to measure hardness. The effects of various process parameters such as temperature, gas pressure and treatment time on glass surface composition, structure and properties are discussed. The results show that the surfaces of the treated samples were dealkalized to some depths as great as 0.5 μ. The surface structure of the treated glasses is close to that of pure silica glass and surface hardness is improved after plasma treatment.