Resonance absorption in the amorphous semiconductor Si12Ge10As30Te48

The complex permitivity of the amorphous semiconductor Si₁₂Ge₁₀As₃₀Te₄₈ has been measured at frequencies from 1 to 4 GHz and at temperatures from 13 to 42°C. The results show that there is resonace absorption at the resonace frequency of 1.6 GHz corresponding to a relaxation time of 2.45 × 10^?9 sec at 20°C, and that this resonance frequency increases with increasing temperature. On the basis of the model that the power loss is due to the transitions of dipoles between their equilibrium positions, the computed results are in good agreement with experimental ones. The size and the possible formation of such dipoles are also discussed.     

The effects of electrode materials on the switching behaviour of the amorphous semiconductors Si12Ge10As30Te48

The switching behaviour of the amorphous chalcogenide alloy Si₁₂Ge₁₀As₃₀Te₄₈ has been systematically investigated using silver, indium, aluminum, and graphite for electrodes. The experimental results show that the stability in both the threshold voltage for the onset of switching action, and the holding current required to maintain the conducting state, depends strongly on electrode materials. The switching mechanisms related to the electrical and thermal properties of various electrode materials are discussed, and experimental evidence of the deteriorating effect of some electrode materials is given.     

A neutron small angle scattering study of SiO2Na2 O glasses

The first results obtained by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) study of sub-liquidus immiscibility of glasses are presented. Measurements were performed on the neutron small-angle scattering spectrometer of the Institut Laue-Langevin (Grenoble, France). The glass studied was 0.88 (SiO₂), 0.12 (Na₂O) from SiO₂Na₂O system which presents a well-known miscibility gap already explored by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) method. Absolute values of the neutron scattering cross section as a function of scattering vector were obtained for this glass quenched and heat treated at 560°C for various lengths of time. It is shown that the ANS method can be used to follow phase separation kinetics and the comparison with SAXS results can in principle be used to separate the effects of density and concentration fluctuations in this system.     

Brillouin scattering measurements of attenuation and velocity of hypersounds in SiO2B2O3 glasses

Measurements of hypersound wave velocity and attenuation (20–30 GHz) were made at room temperature by Brillouin scattering in SiO₂O₂O₃ glasses. The attenuation shows a maximum with composition. An explanation of this maximum is given in relation to the glass structure. It is thought that this maximum may be due to a coupling effect of hypersounds with structural relaxational process involving SiSi and SiOB bonds.     

Investigation of recombination and trapping processes in 3As2Se32Sb2Se3 amorphous films by photoconductivity method

Photoconductivity experiment has been performed on high resistivity ($\text{π ? 10}{}^9\text{Ω-}\text{cm}$) 3As₂Se₃2Sb₂Se₃ amorphous films in the temperature range from 278°K to 308°K, as a function of light intensity, I₀. The results are that at intermediate light levels the photocurrent varies as I₀^0.7 and at high light levels the photocurrent is directly proportional to I₀. A simple recombination and trapping model is developed to interpret the observed photoconductivity data. From the temperature dependence of the photocurrent, an effective trap level located 0.3 eV below the band edge is deduced.     

Immiscibility and liquidus temperatures in the pseudobinary chalcogenide system PbSeGe1.5As0.5Se3

Electron microscopy studies of growth of microstructure or crystal size as a function of heat treatment temperature have been used to determine immiscibility and liquidus temperatures in the pseudobinary chalcogenide system PbSeGe_1.5As_0.5Se₃. The immiscibility dome was found to span nearly the entire pseudobinary composition region, in good agreement with the results of a previous heat capacity study of this system in the glass transition region.     

Glass formation and structure of Na2SSiO2 and Na2SB2O3 glasses

Glass-forming regions of the systems Na₂SSiO₂ and Na₂SB₂O₃ have been investigated in order to clarify whether Na₂S could be substituted for Na₂O in sodium silicate or borate glasses, and the results were interpreted in terms of the structures of silicate and borate glasses. No difference was found in the glass-forming range of SiO₂ content between the Na₂SSiO₂ and Na₂OSiO₂ systems, and the red color of Na₂SSiO₂ glasses suggests that the formation of polysulfides in the glass structure is probably due to the entrance of sulfur ions in the non-bridging sites of the glass network. On the other hand, not all of the sulfur added to the glass batches could be retained in the Na₂SB₂O₃ glasses and the amount remaining in the glass products changed depending upon the amount of sodium ions in the glasses. Only a trace of sulfur was observed in the glasses containing less than 13 mol% of Na₂S in the batches, but the sulfur content in the glasses increased steeply with sodium content up to 35 mol%, reached the maximum and then decreased slowly with sodium content. The insolubility of sulfur in the glasses with low sodium content was interpreted based on the compositional dependence of basicity of alkali-borate glasses, and the change in solubility of sulfur with sodium concentration was explained based on the well-known boron anomaly caused by the change in the coordination state of boron and on the formation of non-bridging oxygens or sulfurs in the glass structure.     

EPR study of crystalline and vitreous forms of the Li2OAl2O3SiO2 system

The epr spectra of V⁴⁺ and radiation centres have been studied in β-eucryptite (LiAlSiO₄), β-, γ-spodumene (LiAlSi₂O₆) and in glasses prepared by the fusion of the single crystals. It is shown that the electronic structures of the vitreous state in the Li₂OAl₂O₃SiO₂ system and that of the crystalline forms differ considerably. The change of the electronic structure on crystallization is not direct, but is realized through the intermediate state whose electronic structure differs from that of glasses and crystals.     

Crystallization and phase-separation of Li2OSiO2 glass

The crystallization and phase-separation phenomena in the Li₂OSiO₂ glass are studied by positron lifetime and annihilation lineshape measurements. Analysis of the kinetic data shows three-dimensional morphology of growing crystals. Phase-separation is seen to increase the density of crystal nuclei and the rate of volume crystallization, but it does not affect the morphology. In addition, surface crystallization is detected in glasses with small degrees of phase-separation. The results are consistent with scanning electron and optical micrographs.     

Crystallization of Li2OSiO2 glass studied by positron annihilation

The crystallization of 34 Li₂O65 SiO₂1 P₂O₅ glass has been studied by positron annihilation. The changes in the positron lifetime spectra have been correlated to the magnitude of the amorphous X-ray scattering. A linear relationship has been found for heat-treatment temperatures less than 700°C, above which non-linear phenomena in the lifetime spectra set in. The volume crystallinity reaches a saturation value, which varies from 70% at the heat-treatment temperature of 535°C to 80% at 700°C because of the phase separation. The dimensionality of the crystal growth in this glass is found to be n = 1.5 ± 0.1. The effect of the phase separation on the rate and dimensionality of the crystallization is discussed. The results show that positron annihilation is a sensitive and accurate method to follow crystallization in vitreous materials.     

A thermodynamic and kinetic investigation of amorphous (1−x)As2Se3 · xSb2Se3 alloys

The heats of formation of amorphous (1?x)As₂Se₃ · xSb₂Se₃ (x = 0 to 0.4) referred to crystalline As₂Se₃ and Sb₂Se₃ were measured by liquid metal solution calorimetry. The values of heats of formation of amorphous (1?x)As₂Se₃ · xSb₂Se₃ decreased from 1.39 ± 0.03 kcal · (g-at)^?1 at x = 0 to 1.27 ± 0.04 kcal · (g-at)^?1 at x = 0.4.The glass transition temperature and the temperatures of the maximum rates of crystallization and fusion were measured by differential scanning calorimetry. The glass transition temperature increased and the temperatures of the maximum rates of crystallization and fusion decreased with increasing Sb₂Se₃ content.The relaxation process in amorphous (1?x)As₂Se₃ · xSb₂Se (x = 0.3) was investigated by measuring changes in microhardness, small-angle X-ray scattering and heat capacity with time of annealing at several temperatures ranging from room temperature to 413 K. With increasing annealing time the microhardness, the height and the temperature of the glass transition peak increased whereas the intensity of small-angle X-ray scattering decreased. These changes reflect relaxation towards a more stable structure of smaller molecular mobility. The changes in the enthalpy with annealing time and the activation energy spectra for relaxation were derived from the heat capacity data. The effects of temperature and time of annealing on the various properties are explained in terms of structural changes and relaxation kinetics.     

Electrical conductivity and photoconductivity of As2S3PbS glasses

Measurements of dc electrical conductivity and photoconductivity of various glassy compositions (x = 0.1?0.625) in (As₂S₃)_1?x(PbS)_x have been made. Experimental results of the temperature dependence of dc conductivity from room temperature to 200°C (which includes the glass transition temperature) are reported. All the compositions exhibit intrinsic conduction in the measured temperature range. Thermal activation energy, glass transition temperature and σ₀ for the compositions studied, were determined from the experimental data. The low value of $\text{σ}{}_0\text{(10?10}{}^{\mathrm{?2}}\text{Ω}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$) in these semiconducting glasses is attributed to the greater participation of localized states in the conduction process.In the measurements of photoconductivity, the variation of photocurrent with temperature, photon energy, light intensity and electric field is observed. The recombination model has been involved to explain the results of photoconductivity. Both electrical and photoconductivity data support the presence of higher density of localized states in the x = 0.1 composition than in others.     

Electronic structure and properties of oxide glasses (II) Basicity measured by copper(II) ion probe in Na2OP2O5, K2OB2O3 and K2SO4ZnSO4 glasses

The correlation between the basicity of oxygens measured by the Cu(II) ion probe and the non-bonding electron density on oxygens in alkali borate glasses was considered. The basicity was measured for K₂OB₂O₃, Na₂OP₂O₅ and K₂SO₄ZnSO₄ glasses and categorized into two types, δ and π, according to the symmetry property of the bonding between a Cu(II) ion and oxygen. The π basicity for borate and phosphate glasses showed an abrupt increase in the vicinity of 17 and 50 mol% alkali oxide, respectively. The values of π-type basicity varied with the composition of glass, being larger in the order: sulfate < phosphate ? borate, whereas δ basicity was constant irrespective of the glass composition. Such a change of the basicity with the composition of glass was interpreted in terms of behavior of non-bonding levels of the ligand oxygens in a glass network.     

Glasses and glass-ceramics from naturally occurring CaOMgOAl2O3SiO2 materials (I) glass formation and properties

Once oil is extracted from oil shales, the inorganic solid which remains is from the CaOMgOAl₂O₃SiO₂ system. The material is easily melted and forms a glass upon cooling. Its viscosity in the forming region is actually less than that of commercial soda-lime glass. Shale glasses exhibit excellent dielectric behavior, while their other properties are generally comparable to commercial glasses. These glasses appear to be promising materials for future applications.     

Infrared spectra and structure of superionic conducting glasses in the system AgIAg2OMoO3

Thin blown films of glasses with the mole ratio Ag₂O/MoO₃ = 1 in the system AgIAg₂OMoO₃ (or the pseudobinary system AgIAg₂MoO₄) show three absorption bands in the range 4000-200 cm^?1; 875 cm^?1 (w), 780 cm^?1 (s), and 320 cm^?1 (m, b), which are characteristic of tetrahedral MoO₄^2? ions. The glasses with the ratio Ag₂O/MoO₃ < 1 have two additional bands at 600 cm^?1 (w) and 450 cm^?1 (vw), which are characteristic of condensed ions of MoO₄ tetrahedra, probably Mo₂ O₇^2? ions. These glasses are thus composed of Ag⁺, I^?, MoO₄^2?, and probably Mo₂O₇^2? ions, and classified as “ionic” glasses containing one type of cations. The presence of partial covalency in the Ag⁺… ^?OMo link and the influence of ion exchange of Ag⁺ with K⁺ on IR spectra are discussed. The molar volume of the glasses with the ratio Ag₂O/MoO₃ = 1 is primarily determined by a fairly dense packing of the constituent anions, I^? and MoO₄^2?.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the glasses in the system Na2OB2O3SiO2

The ¹¹B NMR spectra have been used to study the structure of glasses in the system Na₂OB₂O₃SiO₂. The fraction of BO₄ units, and the fraction of BO₃ units with one or two nonbridging oxygens, are measured and analyzed according to a structural model. The results indicate that: (1) for a sodium oxide to boron oxide ratio of 0.5 or less, the Na⁺¹ ions are attracted primarily by the borate network; therefore, the ternary glasses can be viewed as binary sodium borate glasses diluted by SiO₂; (2) when the sodium oxide to boron oxide ratio exceeds 0.5, the additional Na₂O results in the formation of [BSi₄O₁₀]^?1 units at the expense of diborate and SiO₄ units. In this process, Na⁺¹ ions are still taken up only by the borate network. After all the available SiO₄ units are consumed to form [BSi₄O₁₀]^?1 units, additional Na⁺¹ ions are proportionally shared between the borate and silicate networks.     

The leaching behavior of PbOSiO2 glasses

The leached layer of PbOSiO₂ glasses formed by diluted nitric acid solution has been investigated by ellipsometry and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The leaching behavior of PbOSiO₂ glasses in 10^?4 N aqueous solution of NHO₃ at 30°C was measured in real time using a Nikon auto-ellipsometer.The results were applied by curve fitting to the two-layer model from the concentration profile obtained by AES, and the refractive index profile against the film thickness was determined.The leached layer is inhomogeneous and consists of a low refractive index region and a transition region. The gradient of the refractive index in the former region is extremely small and the refractive index becomes nearly constant between 1.42 and 1.44. The shape of latter region becomes stable with its thickness at 100–310 Å, and moves in the direction of depth without changing the shape as the leaching proceeds.     

Synthesis and X-ray structural investigation of K8[(UO2)2(C2O4)2(SeO4)4] · 2H2O

Single crystals of the compound K₈[(UO₂)₂(C₂O₄)₂(SeO₄)4] · 2H₂O (I) are synthesized, and their structure is investigated using X-ray diffraction. Compound I crystallizes in the monoclinic system with the unit cell parameters a = 14.9290(4) ?, b = 7.2800(2) ?, c = 15.3165(4) ?, β = 109.188(1)°, V = 1572.17(7) ?³, space group P2₁/n, Z = 2, and R = 0.0297. The uranium-containing structural units of crystals I are dimers of the composition [(UO ₂)₂(C₂O₄)₂(SeO₄)₄]⁸⁻, which belong to the crystal-chemical group AB ⁰¹ B ² M ¹ (A = UO₂²⁺, B ⁰¹ = C₂O₄²⁻, B ² = SeO₄²⁻, M ¹ = SeO₄²⁻) of the uranyl complexes. The [(UO₂)₂(C₂O₄)₂(SeO₄)₄]⁸⁻ dimers are joined into a three-dimensional framework through electrostatic interactions with the outer-sphere potassium cations. Original Russian Text ? L.B. Serezhkina, E.V. Peresypkina, A.V. Virovets, A.G. Verevkin, D.V. Pushkin, 2009, published in Kristallografiya, 2009, Vol. 54, No. 1, pp. 68–71.     

ESR and optical absorption of Cu2+ in Na2OSiO2 glasses

ESR and optical absorption spectra of Cu²⁺ in xNa₂O(100?x)SiO₂ glasses were measured, where x ranges from 12 to 70 mol% Na₂O. This glass system was divided into three composition regions, 12 ? x ? 37, 37 ? x ? 55 and 55 ? x, from the composition dependence of the ligand field transition energy and spin hamiltonian parameters of Cu²⁺. Two boundary compositions (37 and 55 mol%) between the two adjacent regions agreed with the eutectics in the equilibrium phase diagram. Two types of Cu²⁺-complexes, with less basic ligands (HFS-1) and much more basic ones (HFS-2), were detected in ESR for ultra-high soda glasses (x ? 55). The distribution of the ESR parameters due to the fluctuation of ligand fields was negligible for HFS-2 compared with that for other glasses. The Cu²⁺ ion responsible for HFS-2 was considered to distribute in the microphase of orthosilicate. Imagawa's basicity, the covalency of the bondings between Cu²⁺ and ligands, was calculated by using Maki and McGarvey's analysis. The basicity of σ-type symmetry remained constant, irrespective of the glass composition, and the value was identical with those for other oxyanionic glasses. The π-type basicity was also constant for the glasses of x ? 55. Two different basicities, each corresponding to HFS-1 or 2, were obtained for the glasses of x ? 55. The value derived from HFS-1 was identical with those for x < 55 glasses, whereas that derived from HFS-2 suggested the formation of much more basic ligands.