Crystallization kinetics and investigation of electrical properties of indium-incorporated Se 80 Te 15-x Sb 5 In x (x = 0, 5, 10) quaternary chalcogenide glasses

This work reports the structural, thermal, and electrical properties of Se 80 Te 15-x Sb 5 In x (x = 0, 5, 10) chalcogenide glasses. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were employed to analyze the surface and structural properties of Se 80 Te 15-x Sb 5 In x (x = 0, 5, 10) glasses. XRD characterization portrays amorphous nature of Se 80 Te 15 Sb 5 while Se 80 Te 10 Sb 5 In 5 and Se 80 Te 5 Sb 5 In 10 alloys show polycrystalline nature. SEM results show the presence of comparatively larger-sized crystallites in the indium-incorporated alloys in contrast to Se 80 Te 15 Sb 5. Thermal properties of Se 80 Te 15-x Sb 5 In x (x = 0, 5, 10) were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). Variation of AC conductivity (σ ac ), dielectric constant (ε′), and dielectric loss (ε″) as a function of temperature and frequency was analyzed. It has been observed that value of σ ac , ε′, and ε″ increases with the increase in temperature for the temperature range of 295 K-351 K. σ ac shows increasing trend with the increase in frequency; however, the values of ε′ and ε″ decrease with the increase in frequency for the frequency range of 100 kHz–1 MHz. Variation of frequency exponent “s” with temperature encouraged the use of correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model to interpret the AC conduction mechanism. DC conductivity (σ dc ) was found to be temperature dependent, suggesting thermally assisted conduction.