Combined high-resolution XPS and EXAFS study of Ag photodissolution in a-As2S3 thin film

Extended glass‐forming region in the AgCl‐Ag2S‐As2S3 ternary system

“…The fitting parameters are listed in Table a‐d. Referring to the reported values, the XPS peaks are attributed to the atoms participating in the formation of AsS 3/2 pyramidal units where all S atoms are bridging S atoms . Moreover, for the Ag 2 S‐free sample (G15‐0), additional weak peaks (II As and II S ) at 41.26 eV (3.9%) and 162.71 eV (4%) are observed, which are ascribed to As–As and S–S homopolar bonds, respectively Interestingly, with the addition of Ag 2 S (G15‐0.25), those peaks (II As and II S ) vanish, implying that the As–As and S–S bonds are likely broken and thus forming more stable As–S and/or Ag–S bonds .…”

“…Besides the major (I As and I S ) and homopolar (II As and II S ) components, the S 2p spectra also reveal a third peak (III S ) with the relatively lower BE (161.20 eV). This component can be related to the S within a kind of As‐S‐Ag configurations resulting from the breakup of AsS 3 pyramids . With the increasing Ag 2 S content from 0 to 42.5 mol.%, the area of the S 2p (III S ) increases from 3.9% to 85.8% while that of the major S 2p (I S ) decreases from 93.1% to 14.2 (%).…”

Silver doped As2S3 chalcogenide films: A diffusion study

“…3 we present the native cross-sections of the double-layer structures as they can be observed by the SEM for the fresh sample spots and the spots with the longest illumination times. The light induced silver dissolution can also be visually observed on a not yet cracked sample, before and after being illuminated with BB light through a similar Alcoated mask with an aperture of 1×4 mm 2 . In this case the thickness of Ag layer is ~ 200 nm, while the thickness of the As 2 S 3 layer is ~ 700 nm.…”

“…The diffusion of silver into chalcogenide glasses (ChG) has been reported already more than 40 years ago by Kostyshin [1], but it is still intensly studied worldwide [2,3] due to the variety of its potential applicability in areas like high-resolution fotoresist materials [4], gray-scale masks [5], programmable metallisation cells (PMC) or micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) [6].…”

Kinetics of photo-dissolution within Ag/As2S3 heterostructure

“…According to Sava et al [28] one possibility is that inside As2S3 matrix, the Ag + ion could be sucked into structural voids with an appropriate radius. Possible examples of such regions include Ag that makes three bonds with S in the As2S3 matrix, as suggested by Steel et al [30], Penfold and Salmon [31] and Kovalskiy et al [32] from EXAFS measurements. As a result, as these sites become filled photo-dissolution slows down and finally saturates.…”