Mass spectrometry of chalcogenide glasses
Katarína Šútorová
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/A14, Brno 62500, Czech
Republic
Chalcogenide glasses (CG) show unusual optical advantages such as high (non)linear refractive
indices, good transparency in the IR spectral region and unique properties like photo-darkening, giant
photo-expansion as well as photo-fluidity when irradiated by appropriate light.[1] Various techniques
are known and used to fabricate the CG in different forms like bulk glasses, optical fibers and thin
films.[2] These advanced materials have broad applications in the fields such as infrared optics,
electronics, micro-electronics, telecommunication systems, environment and medicine.
LDI TOFMS is a powerful and useful technique to generate and study clusters of various solid
materials and it was used to study CG.[3-6]
For example, chalcogenide glasses of (GeSe2)100 – x(Sb2Se3)x system, where x = 5–60, were studied
while the aim was to elucidate their structure through the analysis of clusters formed in gas phase due
to interaction of pulsed laser beam with solid phase. In gas phase positively or negatively charged
clusters were identified; their stoichiometry was determined as Sec
–
(c = 2–3), Sb+
, Se2
+
, and Sb3
+
;
binary GeSec
+
, SbSec
+/–
(c = 1–2), SbbSec
+
(b = 2–3, c = 1–4), GeaSb3
+
(a = 1–4), Sb2Sec
–
(c = 3–4),
SbSe3
–
, and Sb3Se5
+
; ternary GeSbSe2
+
, GeSbSec
–
(c = 3–5), GeSbbSe+
(b = 4–5), and Ge9Sb2Sec
+
(c =
5–7) ones via comparison of experimental isotopic envelopes with theoretical models.[6] Several
other examples of MS analysis of other CG will be presented and discussed.
Concluding, identified clusters could be considered as structural fragments of the glasses original
structure which was also proved by Raman spectroscopy.[5,6] Better understanding of CGs structure
might help to improve their properties.
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Boidin, E. Baudet, V. Nazabal. Optical Materials Express, 4[3] 525-40 (2014)
[2] A. Zakery, S. R. Elliott. J. Non-Crystalline Solids, 330 1-12 (2003)
[3] S. D. Pangavhane, J. Houska, T. Wágner, M. Pavlista, J. Janca, J. Havel. Rapid Communications in Mass
Spectrometry, 1 95-102 (2010)
[4] J. Houška, E. M. Peña-Méndez, J. Kolář, J. Přikryl, M. Pavlišta, M. Frumar, T. Wágner, J. Havel. Rapid
Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 28(7) 699-704 (2014)
[5] K. Sutorova, P. Hawlova, L. Prokes, P. Nemec, R. Boidin, J. Havel. Rapid Communications in Mass
Spectrometry, 29 408-14 (2015)
[6] K. Šútorová, L. Prokeš, V. Nazabal, M. Bouška, J. Havel, P. Němec. Journal of the American Ceramic
Society, 1-4 (2015), published online on 23.09.2015