Self-organization and anisotropy in amorphous chalcogenides

Abstract The intermediate, self-organized phase, in the As–Se system has been modeled on the basis of clusters with one or more selenium–selenium bridges. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the glass models at the limits of the ‘floppy phase-stressed rigid phase’ window have been calculated. The structural and optical anisotropy in a matrix of clusters containing Se–Se bonds is supposed to be a consequence of breaking and re-linking the broken clusters in the direction of the polarized light beam that acts upon the chalcogenide material.