Synthesis and characteristics of amorphous Ge-S semiconductor alloys by mechanical alloying

Abstract

Amorphous Ge 1-x S x (= 0.61,0.67,0.72) semiconductor alloys have been formed by ball milling of powder mixtures of elemental Ge and S. The amorphization process and the ball-milled products have been investigated by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman scattering. The results show that amorphous Ge-S alloys may form in a self-heating reaction, driven by the large heat of formation of amorphous and/or liquid Ge-S alloys.