Reversible radiation effects in vitreous As2S3. I. changes of physical properties

Abstract

Reversible changes of microhardness, optical, and acoustooptical properties of vitreous As2S3 in multiple cycles of γ‐irradiation with absorbed doses of 105 to 107 Gy and thermoannealing near the glass transition temperature are investigated. It is shown that the observed effects can be explained by interconnected processes of reversible intrinsic defect formation and irreversible impurity radiolysis.

Gamma‐Ray‐Induced Multi‐Effect on Properties of Chalcogenide Glasses

“…Additional deficiencies of these materials are the necessity of high‐temperature annealing (800–1000 K) in order to restore their initial optical properties. Recently, bulk chalcogenide glasses have been considered to be a good alternative candidate for use as a high‐energy irradiation detector in dosimetry systems for wide industrial applications due to the fact that their high‐energy irradiation properties have a highly correlated relationship with the absorbed doses 2–6 . These glass irradiation detectors allow a low regeneration temperature (<350°C) for reuse in comparison with currently used ones that are colored oxide glasses (>500°C).…”

Coordination Defects in Vitreous As2S3Induced by γ -irradiation

“…As it was established earlier these radiation treatment conditions cause maximum changes in physical properties in AChS [5][6][7][8].…”

“…Amorphous chalcogenide semiconductors (AChS), studied by Kolomiets and Goryunova more than forty years ago, are unique solid state materials showing changes of physical properties stimulated by external factors as absorbed light (photoinduced effects [I, 2]), γ-quanta of 60 Co radioisotope or accelerated electrons with average energy E > 1 MeV (radiation-induced effects [3][4][5][6][7][8]). Reversible changes in optical properties of AChS are observed in multiple cycles of irradiation and thermal annealing at temperatures near the glass transition.…”

“…In spite of a large number of scientific publications on photo and radiation--induced processes in AChS [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8], the detailed analysis of bond switching leading to the CD formation, supported by direct experimental data, have not been carried (577) out yet. This situation is caused b y the difficulties in local atomic structure investigation in disordered solids (AChS, in particular) using "traditional» amorphographical techniques.…”

“…This technique was applied previously to amorphous As 2 S3 films in order to study the mechanism of the reversible photoinduced transformations [12]. Unfortunately, this technique is not applied for structural investigation of vitreous .samples, which reveal the maximum amplitude of the reversible RST [5][6][7][8], because of very high optical absorption. The method of IR Fourier spectroscopy of induced reflectivity modified to reflection measurements is expected to be quite suitable for such investigations in vitreous samples.…”