Structural relaxation in chalcogenide glasses

The structural relaxation of chalcogenide glasses is discussed within Tool-Narayanaswamy-Moynihan (TNM) formalism. The TNM parameters for more than 70 different glassy compositions are compared on the basis of the relaxation rate defined as R-f(Delta T) = -(dT(f)/dlogt)(i) at the inflection point of the isothermal relaxation curve plotted on a logarithmic timescale. The R-f(Delta T) depends on the TNM parameter ss and the parameter sigma, combining the nonlinearity parameter x, the effective activation energy h* or the fragility m. It is shown that R-f(10) estimated at 10 K below T-g is useful for the prediction of structural relaxation kinetics in different amorphous materials. The chalcogenide glasses are, for example, compared with oxide glasses and organic polymers. For all these materials, the R-f(10) versus sigma plot shows a well-defined pattern that is thoroughly discussed.

Automated summary

The structural relaxation of chalcogenide glasses is discussed using the TNM formalism, and the TNM parameters of different glass compositions are compared. It is shown that the R-f(10) estimated at 10 K below T-g can be used to predict the structural relaxation kinetics of various amorphous materials. Chalcogenide glasses are compared to oxide glasses and organic polymers, and a well-defined pattern is observed in the R-f(10) versus sigma plot.