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The present work describes the preparation of a new series of chalcogenide glasses in an As14Sb26S(60−x) (AgI)x system intending to explore its thermal, structural, optical, mechanical, and electrical properties. The differential scanning calorimetry results of the studied glasses show the sharp decrease in glass transition temperature (Tg) with the successive incremental inclusion of AgI in the composition, implying the structural changes in the glass network. A thorough Raman analysis corroborates the occurrence of changes in the glass network due to the formation of AsI3 units and Ag–S–As bonds with increasing AgI content. Also, structural changes can be reflected with the change in the optical bandgap (Eg) that was calculated using Tauc equations where it was found that Eg is in harmony with the observed structural variations of glasses. The studied glasses possess a transmittance window (∼0.68–12 μm) with transmittance above 60% in the mid-infrared region. These structural changes are closely related to the significant enhancement of conductivity of the present glasses from 10−8 to 10−6 S/cm at 373 K with a decrease in activation energies. Impedance spectra for the glass with highest AgI revealed the presence of two different relaxation processes. AC conductivity data followed an Arrhenius behavior as well as Jonscher's power law. The present work provides insights into glass network modifications due to silver iodide inclusion and its role in the enhancement of conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of infrared (IR) optics, IR doublet lenses have garnered a lot of attention due to their ability to correct for aberrations. A new series of Ge15Se85‒xTex (5 ≤ x ≤ 30) chalcogenide glass was developed to possess similar glass transition temperature, excellent thermal stability, and large refractive index variation, which enable them to be a good glass material catalog for IR doublet lenses. First, six glasses were successfully molded into one using thermal bonding, and its refractive index distribution was investigated. To lower the dispersion of IR doublet lenses, the two most suited materials were chosen from the above material library on the basis of their Abbe number (ν) and dispersion (p) value. With the created doublet lenses, an IR optical system with a wavelength of 3‒12 µm was designed. The system's modulation transfer function curve demonstrated its good imaging performance (>0.3 @ 24 cycles/mm). Through additional optical design, we discovered that modifying the curvature of the internal interface of the IR doublet lens could reduce the length of the optical system by 17% while maintaining its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mid‐infrared soliton lasers leveraging the Raman self‐pumping induced soliton self‐frequency shift (SSFS) effect offer continuously tunable, highly efficient, femtosecond coherent sources that are essential for applications such as spectroscopy, metrology, and quantum optics. However, despite significant advancements in fluoride and chalcogenide fiber platforms, realizing mid‐infrared Raman soliton lasers on on‐chip platforms remains challenging. In this study, the first experimental demonstration of a mid‐infrared Raman soliton laser in an on‐chip Ge28Sb12Se60 (GeSbSe) chalcogenide glass waveguide is presented. A fully fiberized femtosecond fiber laser, centered at 1.96 µm and emitting 246 fs pulses at a 50 MHz repetition rate, is utilized as the pump source, establishing a fiber‐to‐chip configuration. The waveguides are meticulously fabricated using e‐beam lithography and plasma etching, achieving high optical quality and precision in the mid‐infrared regime. Through precise geometrical dispersion engineering, a Raman soliton laser is achieved that continuously tunes from 1960 to 2145 nm within a 32.5 mm long snakelike GeSbSe strip waveguide. The threshold for pump peak power is remarkably low, at just 14.1 W (3.47 pJ). Additionally, a more than one‐octave‐spanning near to mid‐infrared supercontinuum (1320–2760 nm at 22.9 pJ), reinforced by the combined Kerr and Raman effects, is also realized, confirming the versatile performance of the proposed GeSbSe waveguide. These findings pave the way for mid‐infrared on‐chip Raman soliton lasers, highlighting their potential for power‐efficient, low‐cost, and field‐deployable on‐chip applications in the mid‐infrared regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acousto‐optic (AO) devices are known for their high parallel processing capabilities and efficient transduction, essential for real‐time processing systems. As a vital AO medium, chalcogenide glasses exhibit high AO figures of merit (M2), yet high M2 is often coupled with high acoustic attenuation (α). Thus, to obtain the trade‐off between M2 and α, a series of xGeSe2−(100−x)Sb2Se3 (40 ≤ x ≤ 85) is investigated for their AO properties. When GeSe2 content reaches 50%, a stable network of [GeSe4] and [Se2Sb–Se–SbSe2] units forms, minimizing energy loss and α while maintaining a high M2. Compared with conventional AO materials, this composition achieves an exceptional equilibrium between high M2 and reduced α, offering a distinct advantage in optimizing performance. This unique composition balance provides valuable insights for developing advanced chalcogenide glasses in AO applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared microlens arrays (IR MLAs) are crucial for infrared imaging, target detection, and night vision, but creating high-quality large-scale IR MLAs is costly and challenging. This study presents a precision molding method to produce 500 × 500 microlenses on chalcogenide glass. The method involves creating concave silica molds with femtosecond laser-assisted chemical etching, which are then used to press convex MLAs onto the chalcogenide glass surface. By using single-pulse direct writing technology, a microlens array template containing 500 × 500 microlenses can be completed within 25 min. Meanwhile, the chemical etching method offers a highly efficient and low-cost way to prepare mold. The resulting MLAs exhibited smooth surfaces, uniform structures, and good imaging and focusing capabilities, indicating the effectiveness of this approach for large-scale MLA patterning and batch production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcogenide optical phase change materials (PCMs) have garnered significant interest for their growing applications in programmable photonics, optical analog computing, active metasurfaces, and beyond. Limited endurance or cycling lifetime is however increasingly becoming a bottleneck toward their practical deployment for these applications. To address this issue, a systematic study elucidating the cycling failure mechanisms of Ge2Sb2Se4Te (GSST) is performed, a common optical PCM tailored for infrared photonic applications, in an electrothermal switching configuration commensurate with their applications in on‐chip photonic devices. Further a set of design rules building on insights into the failure mechanisms is proposed, and successfully implemented them to boost the endurance of the Ge2Sb2Se4Te (GSST) device to over 67 000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tailorability of a medium's optical properties, specifically refractive index and dispersion, is key to enabling compact optical designs. Chalcogenide glasses (ChGs) are widely used for infrared (IR) imaging applications, and the development of gradient refractive index (GRIN) optics. This work extends efforts to create and characterize 3D GRIN profiles in bulk multi‐component Ge‐As‐Pb‐Se (GAP‐Se) ChGs through spatially selective conversion of commercial glass to glass ceramic. This work extends prior efforts on bulk and film lab‐scale glass media, to that of a commercially produced material with improved optical homogeneity. Laser‐induced crystallization upon heat treatment results in the formation of high index Pb‐containing crystals that contribute to an increase in the nanocomposite's resulting effective refractive index, neff. The material's induced crystallinity imparted via laser exposure and heat treatment using metrology tools such as refractometry, X‐ray diffraction, FTIR, and TEM are studied. The resulting material response is quantified which is shown to be modulated via laser dose in both lateral and for the first time, axial directions enabling the first demonstration of a true, 3D GRIN profile. By comparing these outcomes to prior radial GRIN structures, the promise of these media as candidate materials for infrared systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mid‐infrared chalcogenide glasses often suffer from a low laser damage threshold due to their weak bond energy and the presence of impurities, particularly at the specific wavelength of 2.94 µm, which is widely used in medical applications. In this paper, we first investigated the effect of the hydroxyl (OH⁻) peak absorption coefficient on the laser damage properties of As2S3 glasses. The surface temperature distribution of chalcogenide glasses under laser irradiation was also analyzed using the finite element method (FEM) and in‐situ heat monitoring. The results showed that the surface temperature of the glass increases exponentially with the rise in the absorption coefficient at the OH− peak position. Subsequently, Raman spectra analysis and average bond energy (ABE) theory were employed to compare five typical chalcogenide glasses without hydroxyl absorption, revealing the relationship between the laser damage threshold and the bond energies of the glass networks. Finally, an optimized glass composition of Ge25As10S65 was identified, possessing the highest laser damage threshold of 340.98 J/cm2, more than twice that of traditional As2S3. These findings provide essential glass host and data references for the future development of mid‐ and far‐infrared optical fibers and waveguide devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of graded-index (GRIN) lenses in infrared imaging systems is an effective way to reduce system volume. Chalcogenide glass has been considered an ideal matrix material to produce infrared GRIN lenes because of its excellent rheological property and large refractive index (RI) tunability. Herein, an axial GRIN Ge-As-Se-Te chalcogenide glass with large RI contrast (Δn) was designed and prepared. The GRIN glass was obtained by hot-pressing 11 stacked glass disks with gradually changing RIs and thermally treating them. The glass compositions of the disks were designed according to (1-x) (Ge 20 As 20 Se 20 Te 40)-xGe 12 As 22 Se 66 , where x = 0–1. It was found that these glasses had similar glass transition temperatures of 194∼199 °C, and excellent anti-crystallization performance. The RI (at 10 μm) of the glass dropped approximately linearly from 3.050 to 2.566 as x increased from 0 to 1. More than 1.2 mm diffusion depth was observed on hot-pressed two-layer glass preforms after only 24-h heat treatment. A GRIN glass with a thickness of ∼4.3 mm and linear RI profile was achieved by treating a hot-pressed eleven-layer glass preform for 24 h. The obtained GRIN glass showed good transmittance in the 3–12 μm wavelength range. These results indicate good prospects of the GRIN Ge-As-Se-Te glass for infrared imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network glasses composed of chalcogenide and modified oxides display three topological phases: the flexible, intermediate, and stressed-rigid. Modulated-DSC experiments, Raman scattering, and molar volume measurements along with topological constraint theory have shown that glass compositions in the flexible and stressed-rigid phases display glass transitions that age with time. The change of the enthalpy of relaxation (ΔHnr) at the glass transition temperature (Tg) steadily evolves with waiting time which can be traced to the presence of Open Degrees of Freedom (ODF). In the isostatically constrained intermediate phase (IP), glasses possess an enthalpy of relaxation which is substantially reduced in aging due to a lack of ODF. IP glasses are composed of self-organised Isostatically Rigid Local Structures (ISRLSs) which have no ODF. The melt fragility index (m) across the three topological phases displays a Gaussian-like global minimum of m = 15 near the IP centre composition, illustrating a super-strong melt behaviour leading to the realisation of the ideal Phillips glass condition where glass forming tendency is globally optimised as demonstrated in the present work. For melt compositions away from the IP centre and into the flexible and stressed-rigid phases, the fragility index steadily increases due to the increased presence of non-ISRLSs. The non-ISRLSs admix with the ISRLSs formed near the mid IP composition, thus promoting the melt networks to relax, age, and diffuse as one goes away from IP centre composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gradient refractive index (GRIN) lenses have been widely used for many applications. However, the traditional manufacturing methods of GRIN lenses are very time-consuming and only suitable for macro-scale operations. In addition, those methods do not have the ability to produce other GRIN optical components with complex refractive index profiles like aspheric or freeform components. We report here an approach to produce GRIN micro-optical components in chalcogenide glass based on a direct laser writing technique. Using this approach, we are able to locally modulate the refractive index of the glass subtrates and create an arbitrary refractive index profile. To prove the flexibility of the method for the production of GRIN micro-optics, we fabricated GRIN micro-lenses and a micro-Fresnel axicon (Fraxicon). The optical properties of micro-lenses can be controlled by varying the writing parameters or the substrate thickness. As a result, the working distance of the micro-lenses can extend from 0 to more than 1000 μ m. Also, the micro-Fraxicon exhibits the ability to convert a Gaussian beam to a Bessel-like beam which concentrates the mid-infrared light into an approximately 1200 μ m long confinement zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the early 1990s, when researchers began to explore rare-earth-doped mid-infrared glass fibers, fiber laser systems have emerged as promising high-brightness light sources with wavelengths beyond 2.5 μm for applications in spectroscopy and sensing, optical communications and ranging, and processing of complex materials and bio-tissues, to name a few. Despite a substantial research effort over the years, mid-infrared fiber lasers and amplifiers have yet to reach the maturity required for widespread and/or industrial use. The well-known advantages of fiber lasers over their bulk counterparts, namely superior stability and beam quality, compactness, cost-efficiency, flexibility, and maintenance-free operation, can only be fully harnessed in the mid-infrared wavelength range with the development of non-existent yet essential fiber-based components made of advanced fluoride or chalcogenide-glass materials. This Perspective reports on the recent significant achievements that have been made in the design and fabrication of in-fiber and fiber-pigtailed components for fully integrated mid-infrared fiber laser systems. Building upon a comprehensive overview of the mechanical, thermodynamic, and optical properties of fluoride and chalcogenide glass fibers, as well as their interaction with light, we aim to highlight current challenges and opportunities and provide an informed forecast of future advancements in mid-infrared all-fiber laser research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the variations in physical, mechanical, and electrical properties, (Ge 2 S 8) 100-x Te x chalcogenide glasses have been synthesized. These glasses encompass a composition range of 0 ≤ x ≤ 12. The mechanical properties have been studied by determining the longitudinal (ν L) and transverse (ν T) ultrasonic velocities. A network structure evaluation with composition has been performed via parameters like coordination number (< N r >), crosslinking density (D CL), glass transition temperature (T g), etc. Also, the elastic parameters trend values have been associated with the decrease in the cohesive energy value of the system. An overall physical analysis of the Ge-S-Te systems reveals that the system's rigidity and the cross-linking density are decreasing. Within the temperature range of 300–420 K, the temperature dependency of the dark conductivity and photoconductivity has been investigated. The intensity-dependent photoconductivity is governed by a power law, with intensity (I ph = G δ ) with δ lying between 0.5 and 1. The photosensitivity values reveal that the glassy system may be suitable for applications in optoelectronic devices. A correlation among the parameters has been established by calculating elastic parameters and conductivity measurements and evaluating the network structure theoretically. The present efforts clarify the composition-structure dependence and relationship in the Ge-S-Te glass series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a gas sensing system based on chalcogenide (ChG) glass platform in the mid-infrared (Mid-IR) region is modeled. The proposed gas sensing system composed of a linear tapers waveguide, ridge waveguide, a multimode interferometer (MMI) coupler and transducer arms. The components of the sensing system were simulated using FimmWave from Photon design. First, we determined the structural key parameters of the ridge waveguide that allow for single-mode propagation while maximizing the evanescent confinement field factor. The obtained results show that at the gas absorption wavelengths, λ CO 2 = 4.26 µm and λ CO = 4.6 µm, the evanescent confinement field factor, reached 3.12% and 3.24%, respectively. For these operating wavelengths, a maximum transmission of 99.8% was achieved with a taper length of 450 µm. The footprint of the MMI coupler is 32 × 9975 µm2. A Contrast of 16.6 dB and insertion losses of 2 dB and 2.87 dB were obtained at λ CO 2 = 4.26 µm and λ CO = 4.6 µm respectively. The sensor performance was validated at 4.26 µm and 4.6 µm, respectively, giving a detection limit of 10.73 ppm for carbon dioxide (CO2) at 4.26 µm and 138 ppm for carbon monoxide (CO) at 4.6 µm. A sensitivity of 3.02 mW.L/mol and 0.12 mW. L/mol, was achieved at the wavelenghts of interset. The obtained results of the sensor by the optimizations of its components serve to enhance a gas sensing system based on chalcogenide (ChG) glass platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony-Selenium-Tin (Sb-Se-Sn) is a ternary chalcogenide have wide range of potential applications, because of their high strength, various crystal lattices, and electrical characteristics. In this work, the melt quenching method was used to synthesize the nanoparticles of Sb14Se86-xSnx (x = 0, 3, 6, 9, 12) chalcogenide glasses. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the Sb14Se74Sn12 chalcogenide glasses ascertained the amorphous characteristics. No extra impurity was detected in any chalcogenide, and the presence of only Sb, Se and Sn was detected from the EDS spectra. The decrease in band gap is revealed with the increase of Sn content in the Sb14Se86-xSnx glasses. Lowest band gap was observed in the Sb14Se74Sn12 chalcogenide, attributed to the large crystallite size. The FTIR spectrum of the sample reveals an absorption band roughly between 500 –400 cm-1, attributed to the vibrational modes for Sb–Se, Sn–Se and Sn-Sb bonds. In the chalcogenide glasses, the Sn and Sb 3d state comprises of two peaks, corresponding to doublet state (3d5/2 and 3d3/2), while as Se has only singlet state (3d). In conclusion, in the Sb14Se86-xSnx (x = 12) chalcogenide glass, an increase in photoluminescence intensity and the decrease in band gap makes it potential candiate for the infrared detectors, and the infrared optical fibres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widely separated optical parametric oscillation (OPO) in an integrated Kerr microresonator offers a compact, highly coherent, and low‐power laser source, accessing previously inaccessible frequencies. Yet, extending the sideband of OPO from telecom to beyond 2 µm is still challenged by competing nonlinear effects and reduced Q factors at these extended wavelengths. In this work, efficient signal‐idler separations reaching 99 THz (1250–2130 nm) are demonstrated with a modest 8.1 mW threshold power, leveraging the heightened nonlinearity of GeSbS chalcogenide glass in the integrated microresonators. By pioneering energy dissipation control via pulley couplers, competing nonlinear phenomena are effectively suppressed, enabling the first demonstration of a widely separated OPO (wOPO) in the anomalous dispersion regime. Moreover, the wOPO features a robust existence region across a variety of device geometries, resilient to microresonator width alterations of up to 300 nm. These findings underscore the potential of integrated microresonators to adeptly bridge the telecom band to the MIR spectrum, achieving this transition with minimal power and controlled nonlinearities, a promising avenue for contemporary integrated photonics platforms utilizing heterogeneously integrated pump lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-conductivity tellurium-based glasses were anticipated to be the attractive candidates in chalcogenide glass systems on account of their distinctive characteristics and extensive application prospects. In this paper, the high-density (>96%) Sn8[(Ga2Te3)34(SnTe)66]92 bulk glass with the density of 5.5917 g/cm3 was successfully prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) technology at 460 K, using a 5 min dwell time and 450 MPa pressure. The room-temperature thermal conductivity of Sn8 bulk materials significantly decreased from 1.476 W m−1∙K−1 in the crystalline sample to 0.179 W m−1∙K−1 in the glass, and the Seebeck coefficient obviously increased from 35 μV∙K−1 in to 286 μV∙K−1, indicating that the glass transition of tellurium-based semiconductors could optimize the thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of the materials. Compared to the conventional tellurium-based glassy systems, the fabricated Sn8 bulk glass presented a high room-temperature conductivity (σ = 6.2 S∙m−1) and a large glass transition temperature (Tg = 488 K), which was expected to be a promising thermoelectric material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, poor reproducibility of optical absorption edges in GeS2 glasses and films is seen. Reported spectral positions of the absorption edge in melt‐quenched glasses spread over ≈0.2 eV at ħω ≈ 3 eV. In deposited films, the edge red‐shifts to ħω ≈ 2.5 eV showing wider variations of ≈1 eV. This work considers plausible reasons of such low, spectral reproducibility, with the aid of ab initio molecular orbital analyses of Ge–S clusters and known insights on optical gaps, electron‐spin‐resonance signals, and structural data. The variation in the glass is likely to be governed by several factors including compositional fluctuation, edge/corner‐shared configurations, wrong bonds, and intimate valence‐alternation pairs. The conspicuous red‐shift in the films seems to be affected also by neutral dangling bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision glass molding (PGM) is an effective approach to manufacturing infrared chalcogenide glass (ChG) aspherical lens with complex shapes. However, infrared ChG aspherical lens often experiences form error in the designed profile and the final profile obtained by PGM. To reduce the form error of infrared ChG aspherical lens in the PGM process, a form error compensation model based on the random forest (RF) algorithm is proposed. The infrared ChG aspherical lens profile was first machined on an electroless nickel-phosphorus (Ni–P) plating to serve as the mold for PGM. After molding, the profile data of the lens was extracted, and a compensation model based on RF was constructed to optimize the model parameters using the evaluation parameters such as root mean square error (RMSE), coefficient of determination (R2), and out-of-bag (OOB). Finally, the generated compensated profile based on the compensation model was used for the compensation machining of the mold. Through this compensation approach, we have demonstrated a substantial 63.5 % reduction in the form error of the fabricated infrared ChG aspherical lens, decreasing the Peak-to-Valley (PV) value from 1.04 μm to 0.38 μm. • We propose a novel aspherical mold compensation method based on the random forest algorithm, which is applied to precision molding of Infrared Chalcogenide Glass. • Aspherical mold machining is performed on the electroless nickel-phosphorus (Ni–P) surface for precision molding, and the profile data of lens are extracted for construct the mold compensation machining model. • Through this compensation approach, we have demonstrated a substantial 63.5 % reduction in the form error of the fabricated infrared Chalcogenide Glass aspherical lens, decreasing the Peak-to-Valley (PV) value from 1.04 μm to 0.38 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber combiner is an effective device to enhance the power level or broaden the spectral wavelengths through a single monolithic output aperture, by fusing multiple fibers together. This is particularly important in mid‐infrared (MIR) 2–5 µm range, in which the output power of a single laser is limited. Due to the high MIR transmission, chalcogenide glass is an ideal host for constructing MIR fiber combiner. In this study, we report the design, fabrication, and characterization of a homemade 3 × 1 chalcogenide glass fiber combiner. The fiber combiner includes a 3 × 1 As–S input fiber bundle and an output fiber. The input fiber bundle was made by tapering three As–S multimode fibers with a core diameter of 200 µm and a cladding diameter of 250 µm. The taper reduction ratio R was 2, and the length of the taper transition region was ∼2 cm. The output fiber with core diameter of 360 µm and cladding diameter of 570 µm was then spliced with the tapered end of the fiber bundle. The total length of the combiner was ∼53 cm. The measurement of power combination at 4.56 µm indicated that the transmission efficiency of three ports reached 80%, whereas the power combining efficiency of the combiner was measured to be ∼48%. In addition, efficient wavelength combining over one octave has been demonstrated, by launching three different lasers at 2.1, 3.39, and 4.56 µm through the 3 × 1 combiner. It proves that chalcogenide fiber combiner is promising for the applications of high‐level power combination and broadband wavelength combining in MIR 2–5 µm range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, poor reproducibility of optical absorption edges in GeS2 glasses and films is seen. Reported spectral positions of the absorption edge in melt‐quenched glasses spread over ≈0.2 eV at ħω ≈ 3 eV. In deposited films, the edge red‐shifts to ħω ≈ 2.5 eV showing wider variations of ≈1 eV. This work considers plausible reasons of such low, spectral reproducibility, with the aid of ab initio molecular orbital analyses of Ge–S clusters and known insights on optical gaps, electron‐spin‐resonance signals, and structural data. The variation in the glass is likely to be governed by several factors including compositional fluctuation, edge/corner‐shared configurations, wrong bonds, and intimate valence‐alternation pairs. The conspicuous red‐shift in the films seems to be affected also by neutral dangling bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their excellent chemical properties, mechanical strength and electrical conductivity, carbon nanofibers (CNFs)‐doped materials show immense potential in energy storage, electromagnetic shielding, aerospace, and other fields. In this study, we propose a new highly conductive chalcogenide glassy composites: 0.6[40GeS2‐60Sb2S3]−0.4(AgI)‐xCNFs (GSSA‐xCNFs), where x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 wt%. The mechanical behaviors of the glass composites were significantly improved due to the strong cohesive bonding at the CNFs/glass interfaces. The introduction of 2.0 wt% CNFs has raised the hardness from 1.35 to 1.66 GPa; meanwhile, Young's modulus increased from 22.3 to 25.8 GPa. The doped Ag ions endow the chalcogenide glass with excellent electrical properties. Moreover, the introduction of CNFs further enhanced the DC conductivity of glassy composites from 2.79 × 106 to 4.48 × 10−5 S/m at 293 K due to a percolation network of CNFs formed when its concentration from 0 to 2.0 wt%. Additionally, positive temperature dependence of resistance was observed in the glassy composites, possible mechanisms have been discussed based on the determined thermodynamic features, microscopic morphology, and structural characteristics of the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements of five selected bulk chalcogenide glasses (Ge 28 Sb 6 Se 66 , Ge 19 Sb 17 Se 64 , Ge 12 Sb 25 Se 63 , Ge 28 Sb 12 Se 60 and As 40 Se 60) for broad wavelength range (0.3–15 μm) at the temperatures from room temperature up to glass transition temperature (with reserve). Temperature dependence of bandgap energy obtained from Tauc-Lorentz oscillator together with temperature dependence of refractive index for selected wavelengths (1.55, 3.4, 7.0 and 10.6 μm) where the studied materials are transparent are presented together with thermo-optic coefficients d E g /d T and d n /d T for these wavelengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering new chalcogenide solids improves the desired functionality of the materials and may open the way for new applications. Here we discuss the preparation of As x S 100−x amorphous thin films modified with WS 3 by the sol–gel method. We show that the formation of homogeneous, transparent, and stable n-propylamine-based solutions by mixing 0.02M As x S 100−x and 0.02M (NH 4) 2 WS 4 solutions is feasible for the As content in the chalcogenide glass precursor x ≤ 25 at.%. Above this limit, rapid and massive precipitation occurs in the solutions. We further demonstrate the preparation of amorphous thin films along the pseudo-binary AsS 3 - WS 3 tie-line and provide information about the role of WS 3 on optical properties and the structure of tungsten-based chalcogenide thin films. Due to a significant etching contrast between annealed AsS 3 − WS 3 thin films at 70 and 240 ∘ C , we propose tungsten-based chalcogenide thin films as a suitable platform for application in wet-lithography. [Display omitted] • Homogeneous, transparent, and stable solutions by mixing As x S 100−x and (NH 4) 2 WS 4 solutions for x ≤ 25 at.%. • The WS 3 content increases the thermal stability of prepared thin films. • Optically transparent amorphous AsS 3 − WS 3 thin films up to a molar ratio of 1:3. • As WS 3 increases, the absorption edge is red-shifted. • The chemical resistance decreases to amine-based solutions with increasing WS 3 content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the design and theoretical study of a Ga‐Sb‐S chalcogenide glass‐based photonic crystal fiber (PCF) structure for mid‐infrared supercontinuum generation. The proposed design is engineered by adjusting the diameter of air holes in the cladding region and pitch, giving us control over the dispersion characteristics of the fiber. The optimized structure design offers the Zero Dispersion Wavelength of 5.2 μm. When pumped with 50 fs secant hyperbolic pulses of peak power 4.9 kW, for a fiber of length 8 mm at pump wavelength of 5 μm, the proposed structure design produces an ultra‐broadband supercontinuum spectrum spanning 1.5–14 μm. Proposed PCF design should be helpful in, biomedical imaging, supercontinuum sources, biosesning, and optical coherence tomography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-component glass system has a composition of 10K2O–10ZnO–55 B2O3–(25–x)V2O5–xBi2O3 (x = 4, 5, 7.5, 9, 10 mol%) are synthesized by the melt-quenching method. Using X-ray diffraction examination, the amorphous phase in the material was confirmed. The physical characteristics of the produced compositions are examined using density (D) and molar volume (Vm). Calculations of physical properties showed that adding Bi2O3 from 4 to 10 mol% increased the glass density from 2.7878 to 3.3617 g cm−3 and decreased the molar volume from 40.4196 to 38.5895 cm3/mol. Studies of glass samples using the FTIR show bands of absorption for oxides in different structural groups. Octahedral [ BiO 6 ], [ BO 4 ], and tetrahedral [ BO 3 ] structural units are observed in the present glass matrices. The cutoff wavelength ( λ C ), and optical band gap energy were determined using UV absorption spectra. The increase in non-bridging oxygens can be linked to the decrease in optical band gap energy ( E opt ) (direct and indirect) and the increase in cutoff wavelength with an increase in Bi2O3 content. This is attributed to the existence of bismuth ions and the creation of non-bridging oxygens. Besides that, the values of optical parameters, viz., optical electronegativity, refractive index, and molar refractivity, are calculated. The metallization criterion values are less than 1 and the glass samples exhibit an increased tendency towards metallization. Both the conductivity and the dielectric constant increase with the rise in Bi2O3 content, however, the dielectric loss and the impedance reduce. The behavior and values of conductivity for the studied glasses reveal the semiconducting properties of all glass samples. These results suggest that the produced glass samples may be employed as amorphous semiconductors in electronics and memory switching devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a theoretical study of the incidence of nonuniform waves between two dissipative media with finite conductivity and with a nonlinear response to the applied electric field, which is associated with the Kerr effect. From the Adler–Chu–Fano formulation, the complex propagation vectors, transmitted and reflected angles, and Fresnel coefficients are obtained for the two linear polarization states. In addition, the modification of the total internal reflection, the phase shift, the Goos–Hänchen effect, as well as the interface interaction with bright solitons are explored. Calculations are performed for fused silica, the chalcogenide As2S3 glass, and gold in glass media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcogenide glasses have broad applications in the mid-infrared optoelectronics field and as phase-change materials (PCMs) due to their unique properties. Chalcogenide glasses can have crystalline and amorphous phases, making them suitable as PCMs for reversible optical or electrical recording. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the evaporation kinetics of indium-doped chalcogenides, GeTe4 and GeTe5, using the physical vapor deposition technique on glass substrates. Our approach involved a detailed examination of the evaporation process under controlled temperature conditions, allowing precise measurement of rate changes and energy dynamics. This study revealed a significant and exponential increase in the evaporation rate of GeTe4 and GeTe5 with the introduction of indium, which was particularly noticeable at higher temperatures. This increase in evaporation rate with indium doping suggests a more complex interplay of materials at the molecular level than previously understood. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the addition of indium affects the evaporation rate and elevates the energy requirements for the evaporation process, providing new insights into the thermal dynamics of these materials. This study's outcomes contribute significantly to understanding deposition processes, paving the way for optimized manufacturing techniques that could lead to more efficient and higher-performing optoelectronic devices and memory storage solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To gain a complete understanding of the optical switch that uses phase-change material, Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST), we conducted a simulation considering various physical phenomena related to the switch, such as electrical conduction, Joule heating, heat diffusion, phase change of GST, and light propagation. It was found that the phase state (amorphous and crystalline) of the GST film can be controlled by applying an appropriate pulse voltage to the indium tin oxide (ITO) heater layer, thereby changing the transmittance of the optical switch. Calculations showed that during cooling in the amorphization process, part of the GST film was recrystallized, reducing the transmittance of the optical switch in the ON state. Moreover, the large temperature difference in the GST film during heating was caused by a substantial amount of Joule heat generated in the region distant from the GST film. This difference in distance from the heat-generating region resulted in a considerable temperature difference in the GST film. Thus, herein, we have proposed modified model structures to reduce this temperature difference in the GST film, which can recrystallize during the amorphization process. Calculation using the modified model structures revealed that increasing the thickness of the ITO heater layer, over which the GST film was not placed, can effectively reduce the temperature difference and eventually suppress recrystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acousto-optic (AO) devices have great application potential in laser technology and network communication. Chalcogenide (ChG) glass is promising for AO devices because of its excellent infrared transparency and high AO figure of merit. Among them, As–S glasses represent the most typical and extensively studied ChG system. However, the correlation between the network structure of As–S glasses in the As-rich and S-rich regions and their AO properties remains to be investigated. In this work, the effect of glass composition and glass structure on the AO properties of As–S glasses was investigated. The gradual formation of homopolar As–As and S–S bonds leads to the weakening of the network crosslinking degree of the glass structure in the vicinity of As-rich and S-rich regions, which results in a reduction in the AO properties. In particular, the presence of long-chain As–S–As bonds in the As 40 S 60 glass primarily causes its superior AO properties. The above results provide an important reference for the further investigation on the correlation between glass composition, structure, and AO properties and the development of As–S based AO media and devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanically cleaved flake of ternary metal chalcogenide PbSnSe 2 was transferred onto the interdigitated electrodes to form electrical contacts. The temperature dependent (180 K–250 K) electrical properties were then analyzed employing complex impedance spectroscopy from 2 kHz to 2 MHz. A detailed analysis of Nyquist plots proposed the space charge dependent behavior and negative temperature coefficient of PbSnSe 2 flake. The AC conductivity followed Jonscher's power law with s -parameter value being less than unity. The values of s -parameter increased with rise in temperature suggesting the presence of non-overlapping small polaron tunneling (NSPT) in the PbSnSe 2 flake. From this NSPT model, tunneling distance, hopping energy, and density of states (DOS) were estimated at temperatures from 180 K–250 K. The dielectric permittivity showed dispersion at lower frequencies and the tangent loss was also found to be directly related to temperature. A single semicircular arc in complex modulus analysis showed the dominance of bulk effect in the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, (BiSb) 2 Te 3 thin films were deposited onto glass substrates at a temperature of 300 °C, utilizing radio frequency (RF) sputtering across a range of growth conditions. The primary focus of this investigation was to analyzse the effects of varying RF power, chamber gas pressure, and annealing temperature on the thermoelectric properties of the films, deposited by an exclusively-made single target. Notably, it was observed that increasing the annealing temperature significantly boosted both the deposition rate and grain size. Through carefully optimizsing growth conditions and subsequent annealing procedures, it was discerned that thin films cultivated at higher RF power levels exhibited markedly improved electrical conductivity, attributed to a discernible rise in carrier concentration. Furthermore, films generated under the RF power of 37.5 W showed a noteworthy augmentation in the Seebeck coefficient, recording approximately 147 μV/K. This enhancement in Seebeck coefficient correlated with the attainment of the highest power factor, reaching an impressive 220.57 μW/mK2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new two‐step process is developed by exchanging Na+ and Ag+ to create a radial GRIN infrared lens. The first step consists in introducing a high amount of silver by solid‐state ion exchange in the surrounding of the glass sample when the second one allows for controllable diffusion of Ag+ within the center of the sample by single heat treatment. Evolution of the refractive index and ∆n between the two extreme compositions of the GRIN are determined as function of the wavelength, predicting a ∆n of 1.42 × 10−1 at 10 µm. Qualitative characterization of the sample reveals the formation of a GRIN chalcogenide glass transparent in the MWIR and LWIR, presenting no detrimental crystallization of residual metallic silver on the edge of the sample. Wavefront measurement allows to quantitatively characterize the 10 mm diameter IR GRIN as a polynomial profile with a ∆n of 1.8 × 10−1 at 10.6 µm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superconductivity of iron chalocogenides is strongly enhanced under applied pressure yet its underlying pairing mechanism remains elusive. Here, we present a quantum oscillations study up to 45 T in the high-Tc phase of tetragonal FeSe0.82S0.18 up to 22 kbar. Under applied pressure, the quasi-two-dimensional multi-band Fermi surface expands and the effective masses remain large, whereas the superconductivity displays a threefold enhancement. Comparing with chemical pressure tuning of FeSe1−xSx, the Fermi surface expands in a similar manner but the effective masses and Tc are suppressed. These differences may be attributed to the changes in the density of states influenced by the chalcogen height, which could promote stronger spin fluctuations pairing under pressure. Furthermore, our study also reveals unusual scattering and broadening of superconducting transitions in the high-pressure phase, indicating the presence of a complex pairing mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of a study of the optical, electrophotographic and holographic parameters of As-Se condensates from the prehistory of the original bulk materials are presented. It has been established that the electrophotographic parameters of freshly deposited As40Se60 layers change significantly with temperature; the dependences of the maximum charging potential (U0) and the half-decay time of the potential (τ1/2) of electrophotographic As40Se60 layers in the dark on the processing temperature of the melt of the starting material are shown. The dependence of the half-life of the potential in the dark, as well as the properties of bulk samples, has an extremum in the region of Tsub~500°C. The correlation between the dependences of the properties of bulk samples and the electrophotographic parameters of the layers on Tsub indicates that the structural features of the source material in the deposition mode used affect the structure of the films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adhesion strength of the solid phase boundary in the Ge20Se80 glass–substrate (quartz glass, stainless steel, tungsten carbide) systems was measured using the normal separation method in the temperature range of 270 – 360°C. The maximum work of adhesion of chalcogenide glass among the studied structural materials was observed for stainless steel with a non-nitrided surface. The wetting and adhesion of the Ge20Se80 glass melt to structural materials in the temperature range of 370 – 470°C were investigated. The maximum adhesion of the chalcogenide melt is observed for the surface of quartz glass, while the minimum is observed for the surface of nitrided stainless steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium chalcogenide nanoplatelets (NPLs) are not only known due to their unique optical properties but also because of their ability to self‐assemble into stacks with new collective properties. Only recently, a stacking process in an aqueous medium has been demonstrated, which opens up possible applications and methods such as gelation. Nanoparticle‐based aerogels gain a lot of attention due to their high relative surface areas and porosity and thus, high potential for catalytic applications. Herein, the positive properties of aerogels to the NPL‐stack system by cryoaerogelation of destabilized NPL dispersions are introduced. After the addition of an antisolvent to initiate the stacking, the dispersion is flash‐frozen with liquid nitrogen and freeze‐dried. By this method, porous cryoaerogel networks result in high surface areas and retained stacking of the NPLs. The formed stack‐gels are investigated by electron microscopy and physisorption measurements. Optical and photoelectrochemical measurements verify the charge carrier transport within the stack‐gel network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gradient refractive index (GRIN) lenses have recently become a hot topic in compact imaging and achromaticity. Current research focuses on exploiting GRIN materials and upgrading the preparation technology. In this study, infrared (IR) GRIN materials were successfully prepared by spark plasma sintering of multilayer chalcogenide glass (ChGs) powders. ChGs powders were derived from the Ge20Se80‐xTex series glasses (x = 0–28 mol%) with a maximum refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.25. The similar glass transition temperatures (ΔTg < 10°C) promote efficient sintering of multilayer powders. Six‐, eight‐, and ten‐layer powders of different compositions were rapidly sintered with a thickness of 600, 300, and 200 µm per layer, respectively. Such tiny layer thickness enables the GRIN materials to exhibit nearly linear refractive index variation. Energy dispersive spectroscopy line scans well characterized the gradient variation of GRIN. The maximum deviation of the refractive index gradient from the fitted target line was only ± 0.016 for the 10‐layer GRIN. The sintered GRIN shows excellent IR transparency, which is of great interest for mid‐wave and long‐wave infrared imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the structural, mechanical, optical, thermal, and electronic properties of the ionic semiconducting materials XZrS3 (X = Ca, Ba) within the framework of density functional theory (DFT). Here, the elastic constants, modulus (bulk, shear, Young's), ratios (Pugh, Poisson) and elastic anisotropy for XZrS3 (X = Ca, Ba) are studied. Furthermore, the electronic, optical, and thermal properties for XZrS3 (X = Ca, Ba) are regenerated and designed using the values obtained with Cambridge Serial Total Energy Package (CASTEP) software. The calculated lattice parameters show excellent agreement with theoretical and experimental values. The elastic stiffness constants confirm the mechanical stability of both compounds. Although XZrS3 (X = Ca, Ba) is elastically anisotropic, it has little optical anisotropy. The electronic band structures of the material exhibit direct-bandgap semiconducting behavior, with values of 1.3 eV (CaZrS3) and 1.1 eV (BaZrS3) using the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), respectively, which is ideal for solar cell (0.9–1.56 eV) and optoelectronic device applications. Bandgap values of 1.9 eV and 1.6 eV are found for CaZrS3 and BaZrS3, respectively, using the Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof HSE06 functional, which is consistent with previous theoretical and experimental bandgap results. The optical properties including dielectric function, refractive index, absorption coefficient, reflectivity, and loss function are characterized using the GGA of Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (GGA-PBE) and HSE06 methods and are discussed in detail. Because of the relatively low Debye temperature (D), thermal conductivity of the lattice (kph), and minimum thermal conductivity (Kmin), the studied materials can be used as thermal barrier coating (TBC) materials. The capacity of heat, Debye temperature, and thermal coefficient of expansion are all computed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcogenide‐based double perovskite materials have recently attracted attention of researchers because of their excellent properties and eco‐friendly nature. These compounds have proven to comprise better oxidation resistance, high‐temperature stability, and lower processing cost. In this report, the first‐principles study on chalcogenides double perovskites Ba2MgXO6 (X = S, Se) is described. It is shown that these perovskites can be synthesized, as they satisfy the structural, dynamical, and thermodynamical stability criteria. It is revealed that these double perovskites are inherently semiconductors in nature with low bandgap values, 0.33 eV for Ba2MgSO6 and 0.66 eV for Ba2MgSeO6 along Γ symmetry point. The absorption coefficient ≈105 cm−1 and the reflectivity below 12% in visible region are calculated. Therefore, the Ba2MgXO6 for solar cell applications is recommended. Also, on the basis of calculated larger values of figure of merit, these perovskites are proposed for thermoelectric applications at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the surface properties of glass during the hydrogen fluoride (HF)-based vapor etching process is essential to optimize treatment processes in semiconductor and glass industries. In this work, we investigate an etching process of fused glassy silica by HF gas with kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations. Detailed pathways of surface reactions between gas molecules and the silica surface with activation energy sets are explicitly implemented in the KMC algorithm for both dry and humid conditions. The KMC model successfully describes the etching of the silica surface with the evolution of surface morphology up to the micron regime. The simulation results show that the calculated etch rate and surface roughness are in good agreement with the experimental results, and the effect of humidity on the etch rate is also confirmed. Development of roughness is theoretically analyzed in terms of surface roughening phenomena, and it is predicted that the values of growth and roughening exponents are 0.19 and 0.33, respectively, suggesting that our model belongs to the Kardar–Parisi–Zhang universality class. Furthermore, the temporal evolution of surface chemistry, specifically surface hydroxyls and fluorine groups, is monitored. The surface density of fluorine moieties is 2.5 times higher than that of the hydroxyl groups, implying that the surface is well fluorinated during vapor etching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patterns of thermal expansion of chalcogenide materials in the temperature range from room temperature to the beginning of deformation of the samples under the action of the measured force of the dilatometer cell were investigated. Above the glass transition temperature, the coefficient of linear thermal expansion of stabilized samples increases dramatically. For tempered glasses, the course of the temperature dependences of the relative elongation of the samples significantly depends on their thermal history and is of a complex nature. According to dilatometric measurements, the characteristic temperatures of the glass transition interval were determined, a qualitative assessment of structural changes was made depending on the temperature-time regimes of synthesis and annealing of chalcogenide glasses.

We reported near octave-spanning supercontinuum generation in Ge28Sb12Se60 chalcogenide glass rib waveguides. The waveguides were fabricated using foundry-compatible deep ultra-violet lithography, followed by plasma etching. We demonstrated an average propagation loss of ∼1.3 dB/cm at the 1550 nm telecommunication wavelength. With dispersion engineering, optimizing waveguide geometry, and pumping by a multi-wavelength femtosecond soliton fiber laser, we achieved a flat-top supercontinuum generation spanning from 1290 to 2400 nm and beyond. It has a 3 dB bandwidth of 436 nm and a 20 dB bandwidth of more than 900 nm. The implementation of such waveguides provides a practical broadband light source solution for on-chip spectroscopy and sensing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical parameters are necessary to determine the suitability of the chalcogenide materials for specific applications. The present study reports the physical characteristics of the multicomponent GeTe2-x(SeSb)x (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) chalcogenide glasses synthesised by the melt-quench technique. The differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) technique has been used at separate heating rates β = 5, 10, 15, 20 °C / min. XRD and SEM–EDX studies have been carried out for structural and morphological analyses. The average coordination number and constraints of the compound have been calculated which indicates that the composition forms a glassy system. Lone pair electrons present in the composition have been evaluated. R parameter has a value greater than 1, indicating that the composition has sufficient chalcogen, chalcogen–chalcogen and heteropolar bonds. The overall bond energy of the compound has been calculated using the chemical bonding approach to understand the fine-structure properties of the compound. Cohesive energy has been observed to increase with composition. Thermal stability, glass transition temperature and glass forming ability of the compound have been calculated using different relations like Saad and Poulin relation, Dieztal relation, Hurby parameter (Hr) and reduced glass transition temperature (Trg) and studied theoretically to examine the thermal stability of the composition that shows that the prepared samples are suitable for data storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By example of the silicate glasses with the compositions (33.3 – x)Li2O·xNa2O·66.7SiO2 and (33.3 – x)K2O·xNa2O·66.7SiO2 with purely cationic conductivity and chalcogenide glasses (Ag–Cu)0.33AsSe1.5 and (Ag–Cu)0.61AsSe1.5 with mixed ionic–electronic conductivity, consideration has been given to the describing of the mixed-alkali effect in bimetallic glasses in the framework of a microinhomogeneous-glass-structure model using additive schemes involving concentration dependences of conductivity of monometallic glasses with the monovalent metal content equal to that in the mixed glass. A satisfactory agreement between experimental and calculated data is demonstrated. Herein, in the alkaline silicate glasses the non-linear variation of the conductivity parameters is connected with the migration of two alkaline cations and sequential replacement of the conductivity mainly involving an ion by that involving another ion. In the studied chalcogenide glasses, a similar varying of electrical parameters is connected with the replacement of the majority current carrier upon the equivalent substituting of copper for silver in the glass bulk: the mixed, predominantly ionic conductivity is replaced by purely electronic one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disadvantage of chalcogenide glasses containing rare earth ions as luminescent materials for the IR optical range is the strong concentration quenching of luminescence due to the non-uniform distribution of rare earth ions in the glass matrix. This study investigates the effect of grinding chalcogenide glass containing Pr3+ ions in a planetary ball mill on its luminescent properties in the near-IR range, as well as its optical properties and structure. The results indicate that milling, under certain conditions, leads to a decrease in the concentration quenching of the luminescence of Pr3+ ions. This finding suggests that milling can be used in the development of glassy materials with the increased efficiency of luminescence of rare earth ions. However, it is essential to consider that high-energy milling may result in the formation of areas with increased pressure in the obtained material, leading to structural changes in the glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applicability of the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (JMA) model beyond the typical range of the negative asymmetries of the crystallization peak was tested by means of theoretical simulations. Using the solid-state kinetic equation with implemented temperature dependences of either activation energy E or pre-exponential factor A, it was shown that the originally monotonically increasing transformation rate constant changes its evolution with temperature to a non-monotonous course, exhibiting a broad maximum. If the crystallization process following the non-isothermal JMA kinetics proceeds near this maximum, the asymmetry of the corresponding kinetic peak can gradually change to significantly positive values. Of particular interest are the cases with the JMA kinetic exponent m JMA ≥ 2, where the asymmetry of the JMA peaks changes with increasing heating rate from the typical negative values to largely positive values – such crystallization behavior was indeed observed for several chemically diverse materials (polymers, small organic molecules, chalcogenide and oxide glasses). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin film photovoltaics are a key part of both current and future solar energy technologies and have been heavily reliant on metal chalcogenide semiconductors as the absorber layer. Developing solution processing methods to deposit metal chalcogenide semiconductors offers the promise of low-cost and high-throughput fabrication of thin film photovoltaics. In this review article we lay out the key chemistry and engineering that has propelled research on solution processing of metal chalcogenide semiconductors, focusing on Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 as a model system. Further, we expand on how this methodology can be extended to other emerging metal chalcogenide materials like Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4, copper pnictogen sulfides, and chalcogenide perovskites. Finally, we discuss future opportunities in this field of research, both considering fundamental and applied perspectives. Overall, this review can serve as a roadmap to researchers tackling challenges in solution processed metal chalcogenides to better accelerate progress on thin films photovoltaics and other semiconductor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]