Laser-induced growth of oriented Sb2S3 single crystal dots on the surface of 82SbSI–18Sb2S3 glasses

To produce ferroelectric single-crystal architecture on glass surface by laser irradiation, usually the starting structure is a dot. Therefore, we have investigated the formation of this basic element of laser-induced crystallization, as an example, on the surface of pseudo binary 82SbSI–18Sb2S3 chalcogenide glass using a diode laser of wavelength λ = 520 nm. The intensity of the laser was chosen such that the temperature in the crystal growth region was kept below the melting temperature of the glass but high enough to facilitate solid state devitrification. The morphology, crystallinity and composition of crystallized dots were determined using Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). We find that Sb2S3 single crystal dots with elliptic cross-section form with <001> direction parallel to the major axis of ellipse and the surface of glass matrix. On the basis of the presented results, we propose that laser heating can be exploited uniquely to grow oriented single crystals of solids.