Nanostructurization of thin chalcogenide glassy semiconductor films during formation of relief-phase hologram structures

The surface roughness of thin three-component chalcogenide glassy semiconductor (CGS) films during formation of relief-phase hologram structures has been investigated. It is established that the holograms formed on such films undergo parasitic surface nanostructurization, which determines their short-wavelength applicability limit. It is suggested that this structurization is caused by the initial cluster structure of a CGS film, which leads to spatial variations in its etching rate in a developer. It is shown that the maximum variations in the etch rate and cluster size are characteristic of unexposed areas of CGS films and that these variations significantly decrease with increasing exposure.