Thermally induced transformations in Ge_xAs_yTe_100-x-y glasses

Abstract

Chalcogenide glasses with compositions Ge_7.5 As_y Te_92.5-y (y=20, 40, 45, 47.5, 50, 52.5, 55) and Ge₁₀As_yTe_90-y (y=15, 20, 22.5, 35, 40, 45, 50) have been prepared by the melt-quenching technique. The amorphous nature of these glasses has been confirmed by X-ray powder diffractometry. The thermal stability of these glasses has been studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The compositional dependence of the glass transition temperature, T_g, the crystallization temperatures, T_c1 and T_c2, and the melting temperature, T_m, are reported. The glass-forming tendency, K_gl, and the activation energy of crystallization, E, are calculated. The activation energy decreases with increasing tellurium content for both sets of glasses.