Homopolar bonds in Se-rich Ge‒As‒Se chalcogenide glasses

Abstract

We have prepared three groups of Ge-As-Se glasses in which the Se content is 5.5 mol%, 10 mol%, and 20 mol% rich, respectively. We explored the possibility of suppressing the formation of the Ge-Ge and As-As homopolar bonds in the glasses. Thermal kinetics analysis indicated that the 5.5 mol% Se-rich Ge11.5As24Se64.5 glass exhibits the minimum fragility and thus is most stable against structural relaxation. Analysis of the Raman spectra of the glasses indicated that the Ge-Ge and As-As homopolar bonds could be almost completely suppressed in 20 mol% Se-rich Ge₁₅As₁4Se₇₁ glass.