Structural investigation on Ge_xSb₁₀Se_90-x glasses using x-ray photoelectron spectra

The structure of Ge_xSb₁₀Se_90-x glasses (x=7.5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 27.5, 30, and 32.5 at. %) has been investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Different structural units have been extracted and characterized by decomposing XPS core level spectra, the evolution of the relative concentration of each structural unit indicates that, the relative contributions of Se-trimers and Se-Se-Ge(Sb) structure decrease with increasing Ge content until they become zero at chemically stoichiometric glasses of Ge₂₅Sb₁₀Se₆₅, and then the homopolar bonds like Ge-Ge and Sb-Sb begin to appear in the spectra. Increase of homopolar bonds will extend band-tails into the gap and narrow the optical band gap. Thus, the glass with a stoichiometric composition generally has fewer defective bonds and larger optical bandgap.