Abstract

The super-bandgap laser irradiation of the in situ prepared As-S chalcogenide films was found to cause drastic structural transformations and unexpected selective diffusion processes, leading to As enrichment on the nanolayer surface. Excitation energy dependent synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy showed complete reversibility of the molecular transformations and selective laser-driven mass transport during "laser irradiation"-"thermal annealing" cycles. Molecular modeling and density functional theory calculations performed on As-rich cage-like clusters built from basic structural units indicate that the underlying microscopic mechanism of laser induced transformations is connected with the realgar-pararealgar transition in the As-S structure. The detected changes in surface composition as well as the related local and molecular structural transformations are analyzed and a model is proposed and discussed in detail. It is suggested that the formation of a concentration gradient is a result of bond cleavage and molecular reorientation during transformations and anisotropic molecular diffusion.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.