Polarization and Surface Effects on the Seed Orientation of Laser-Induced Sb₂S₃ Crystals on Sb-S-I Glass

Abstract

This study explores multiple fields as a mechanism of controlling the orientation of the nucleation process, which is generally believed to be a stochastic process, as observed in the equiaxed grain structure of glass ceramics. Specifically, as a model system, Sb2S3 single crystals are grown on the surface of Sb-S-I chalcogenide glass via laser crystallization. A spatial light modulator is used to configure the beam shape, thermal gradient, and/or polarization of the laser for controlling the orientation of Sb2S3 crystal seeds. We determine that the chemical and thermal gradient can affect the crystal morphology but do not significantly influence the crystal seed orientation. In contrast, the short crystal axis along [010] has a preferential alignment along the direction of polarization and perpendicular to the surface normal. Thus, we conclude that polarization can be used as an effective tool for controlling the nucleation and hence the orientation of Sb2S3 crystals on the surface of Sb-S-I chalcogenide glasses.

Curved lattices of crystals formed in glass

“…81 Light polarization has also been reported to affect the orientation of crystals formed in chalcogenide amorphous films. [110][111][112] Au-Yeung et al 113 reported similar results for laser-induced crystal growth of Sb 2 S 3 by cw laser on bulk Sb-S-I glass surface. The authors noted how changing the direction of polarization affected the direction of the most polarizable crystal axis.…”

“…Light polarization has also been reported to affect the orientation of crystals formed in chalcogenide amorphous films 110–112 . Au‐Yeung et al 113 . reported similar results for laser‐induced crystal growth of Sb 2 S 3 by cw laser on bulk Sb‐S‐I glass surface.…”

“…Several mechanisms can potentially affect this polarization‐dependent orientation including the torque mechanism proposed earlier, 106 or by thermodynamically biasing nucleation 82 via anisotropic polarization energies of the crystal 109 or via structural 114 or electronic 115 changes in the parent glass. There is also a strong surface dependence in laser‐fabricated Sb 2 S 3 , which confined another crystal axis pointing surface normal 113,116 . This follows the oriented nucleation mechanism 82 and may be due to the surface relieving stresses inhibiting crystallization, favoring the fastest growth direction, in the plane of the glass surface or more generally by the anisotropy associated with the glass surface compared to bulk.…”

“…There is also a strong surface dependence in laser-fabricated Sb 2 S 3 , which confined another crystal axis pointing surface normal. 113,116 This follows the oriented nucleation mechanism 82 and may be due to the surface relieving stresses inhibiting crystallization, favoring the fastest growth direction, in the plane of the glass surface or more generally by the anisotropy associated with the glass surface compared to bulk.…”

Phase-change materials based on amorphous equichalcogenides

“…Following this trend, we can argue that including Sulfur into PCM composition along with Se and Te could add new functionalities not explored so far in this class of materials. Such supposition is based on a recent renaissance of antimony and germanium containing sulfides and selenides, which are proposed as perspective medium for switchable, high-saturation, high-efficiency and high-resolution dynamic meta-pixels for enhanced meta-displays (Sb 2 S 3 and Sb 2 Se 3 ) 25 , monocrystalline path formation under laser irradiation (SbSI) 26 , 27 , 3D waveguides (Ge 23 Sb 7 S 70 ) 28 , solid-state lithium batteries (Ga 2 S 3 modified Ge 33 S 67 ) 29 and glass-on-graphene photonics 30 . Recently, Sb 2 S 3 and Sb 2 Se 3 compounds were proven to possess a phase-change memory effect too 31 , 32 .…”