Raman-spectroscopy studies on rigidity percolation and fragility in Ge–(S,Se) glasses

Abstract We have investigated the Raman spectra in a range 3–100 cm −1 in chalcogenide glasses, Ge x S 1− x and Ge x Se 1− x , with 0⩽ x ⩽0.42 in the average coordination number, 〈 r 〉, from 2 to 2.84. The relation between the rigidity percolation, based on the prediction of the mean-field constraint theory, and a relative degree of fragility, representing the structural relaxation of the network, are demonstrated by varying the structures of the glasses. The obtained fragility of the glasses for x r 〉 x >0.20. A decrease of the fragility at about 〈 r 〉=2.4 is attributed to the predicted rigidity percolation threshold where the glass changes from floppy to rigid, and mesoscopic structural changes beyond the mean-field theory. For 〈 r 〉>2.4, fragility depends on chemical bonds between Ge–Se and Ge–S systems, since the local structure directly contributes to the properties of the overcoordinated network.