Thermal properties and structure of (AsS)(SbS) glassy system.

Thermal properties and structure of bulk glasses of (AsS)(SbS) system ( x varies from 0 to 60 mol%) were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that with increasing Sb content the glasses can be sorted out to the three groups. The structure of glasses with x ≤ 10 is build-up mainly from AsS pyramidal units and the well-known crystallization resistance of AsS can explain the reluctance of these undercooled liquids against crystallization. In glasses with a higher content of antimony, i.e., 10 < x ≤ 30 mol%, the vibration characteristics of AsS clusters appear. Undercooled melts of these glasses crystallize forming both β-AsS and high-temperature phases of SbS. Structure of glasses with the highest antimony content ( x > 30 mol%) is based on SbS structural units significantly lowering stability of their undercooled melts from which only SbS crystallizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]