Structural investigation of crystallized Ge-Ga-Se chalcogenide glasses

Abstract

Crystallization transformation in the 80GeSe2-20Ga2Se3 chalcogenide glasses caused by annealing at 380 °C during different duration (25, 50, 80 and 100 hours) are studied using X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy methods. It is established that GeGa4Se phase of low- and high-temperature modification, Ga2Se3 phase (α- and γ-modification) and GeSe2 phases are crystallized during this process. It is shown that annealing duration over 50 h does not lead to further internal structural crystallization, while annealing for 80 h result in processes of surface crystallization.