Compositional dependence of the optical properties of the amorphous GexTe1−x system

Optical absorption at room temperature of vacuum evaporated Ge_xTe_1−x (0.125?x?0.225) amorphous thin films has been studied as a function of composition. It was found that the optical absorption is due to a direct transition. The real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant were determined. The single-oscillator energy (E_o) and the energy dispersion parameter (E_d) have been calculated and discussed in terms of the Wemple and Di-Domenico model. The relationship between the optical gap, the average heat of atomization and the coordination numbers has been determined. The optical properties of the amorphous thin films do not change monotonically with increasing Ge content. The observed behavior of the optical properties in the range of compositions studied are explained on the basis of the Bond Constraint Theory (BCT) and rigidity theory, which provide a powerful framework for understanding the structure and properties of amorphous materials. The non-monotonic variation of the optical properties indicates that a transition from floppy to rigid occurs in the Ge_xTe_1−x films.