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Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
Published on: June 7, 2018
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'Cold' crystallization in nanostructurized 80GeSe2-20Ga2Se3 glass
Halyna Klym1, Adam Ingram2, Oleh Shpotyuk3
1Lviv Polytechnic National University, 12 Bandera str, Lviv, 79013 Ukraine.
Nanoscale Research Letters
|April 9, 2015
Summary
Cold crystallization in chalcogenide glass nanostructures is driven by thermal annealing. This process leads to structural fragmentation and the formation of specific nanocrystallite phases, primarily on the sample surface.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Solid State Physics
- Glass Science
Background:
- Chalcogenide glasses exhibit unique properties useful in optical and electronic applications.
- Understanding crystallization mechanisms in these glasses is crucial for material design and stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the 'cold' crystallization process in nanostructured 80GeSe2-20Ga2Se3 chalcogenide glass.
- To characterize the structural and defect evolution during thermal annealing.
Main Methods:
- X-ray diffraction (XRD) for phase identification and structural analysis.
- Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for surface morphology.
- Positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) including lifetime (PALS) and Doppler broadening (DB) for defect characterization.
Main Results:
- Thermal annealing at 380°C induced 'cold' crystallization.
- Positron annihilation data indicated structural fragmentation of free-volume entities.
- Nanocrystallites of Ga2Se3, GeGa4Se8, and prevalent GeSe2 phases were observed, mainly at the surface.
Conclusions:
- Cold crystallization in this chalcogenide glass involves nucleation and void agglomeration.
- The observed structural changes and phase formation are characteristic of the annealing-induced crystallization process.
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