Photo- and thermo-induced changes in the properties of thin amorphous As-S films

Changes in transmittance, refractive index, transmissivity in the infrared spectral region, and activation energy of the dissolution process were studied for thin films of the system As _x S_100–x (28.6 x45) as they result from illumination and annealing at temperatures of T _g . It is assumed that the irreversible changes occurring in the layers after treatment are accompanied by an increase in the concentration of As-S bonds. This leads to an increase in dissolution rate, a decrease in the activation energy of the process, and considerable changes in the absorption peaks at 370 and 310 cm^–1 obtained by infrared spectroscopy. It is shown that the photo- and thermoinduced changes in as-deposited chalcogenide films follow identical courses. The results obtained are explained from the viewpoint of the structural changes occurring in chalcogenide films.