Preparation of high-purity germanium telluride based glasses with low oxygen impurity content

Abstract

In the paper, the influence of the preparation method of Ge-Te, Ga-Ge-Te and Ga-Ge-Te-I glasses on the content of oxide impurities is studied. A novel technique for preparation of a charge for high-purity glasses based on germanium and gallium tellurides has been developed. The technique includes the synthesis and loading of germanium monotelluride into the reactor and the purification of gallium by the method of selective chemical transport reactions. The sample of high-purity Ga10Ge15Te73I2 glass with the intensity of impurity absorption bands in the IR spectrum of no more than 10−4 cm−1 was prepared. In this sample, the estimated content of the oxygen impurity chemically bound with germanium does not exceed 20 ppb(wt). To date, this is one of the best results achieved for chalcogenide glasses. The developed technique is versatility and can be used to prepare high-purity germanium telluride based glasses of various chemical compositions.