  In this work, we have investigated the interaction of a high-power Ar$^+$
laser beam, in a continuous multi-line regime, with Ag$^+$-doped glass samples.
The samples were subjected to the irradiation after the ion-exchange step. As a
result of the irradiation, a peak appears in the absorption spectrum; its
evolution depends on both the exposure time and the laser beam power.
Interaction of the beam with the clusters causes them break into smaller ones
which has been confirmed by optical absorption spectroscopy. Depending on the
increment steps of the laser-beam power, different results are obtained. It is
found that, in addition to the fragmentations of the nano-clusters, clusters of
micro-meter size ($d\sim 3\mu m$) are formed in the sample, if the laser power
is increased in a fast regime. The fragmentation processes have been explained
in the framework of the density-functional theory with stabilized jellium
model.
