Kinetics of optically- and thermally-induced diffusion and dissolution of silver in spin-coated As33S67 amorphous films; their properties and structure

The As33S67 amorphous films were prepared by standard spin-coating technique. Prepared films were stabilized in a vacuum and then annealed in inert argon atmosphere. Silver film was deposited on top of As33S67 film by vacuum thermal evaporation technique. The kinetics of optically- and thermally-induced diffusion and dissolution of silver in As33S67 amorphous films prepared by spin-coating technique were measured by optically monitoring the change in thickness of undoped chalcogenide during broadband illumination. Compositions of reaction products and silver diffusion profiles in different stages of the photostimulated process have been determined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Optical and Raman spectroscopies were used to establish the optical properties and structure of the films.