Photo-stability of pulsed laser deposited GexAsySe100-x-y amorphous thin films

Quest for photo-stable amorphous thin films in ternary GexAsySe100-x-y chalcogenide system is reported. Studied layers were fabricated using pulsed laser deposition technique. Scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray analyzer, Raman scattering spectroscopy, transmittance measurements, variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, and non-linear imaging technique with phase object inside the 4f imaging system were employed to characterize prepared thin films. Their photo-stability/photo-induced phenomena in as-deposited and relaxed states were also investigated, respectively. In linear regime, we found intrinsically photo-stable relaxed layers within Ge20As20Se60 composition. This composition presents also the highest optical damage threshold under nonlinear optical conditions. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America