Photoinduced anisotropy in chalcogenide glasses in a wide spectral range studied by reflectance difference spectroscopy

Abstract

We present the results of an investigation of photoinduced anisotropy in films and bulk samples of chalcogenide glasses As 50Se 50 and Ge 20As 20S 60 using reflectance difference spectroscopy. Anisotropy in a wide spectral range (1.5–5.5 eV) can be generated and reorientated many times by linearly polarized light. We conclude that possibility of orientation and reorientation with the linearly polarized light not only of defects and scattering centers but also of the interatomic covalent bonds is characteristic for different chalcogenide glasses. We have found that doping of a chalcogenide glass Ge 20As 20S 60 by rare earths does not change the parameters and characteristics of photoinduced anisotropy.