Dysprosium doped amorphous chalcogenide films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

Thin amorphous Ga–Ge–Sb–S films (pure and dysprosium doped) were prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Compositional, morphological and structural characteristics of the films were studied by SEM-EDS, atomic force, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman scattering spectroscopy analyses. The emission band centered at 1.3 μm corresponding to 6F11/2,6H9/2−6H15/2 radiative electron transitions of Dy3+ ions was identified in photoluminescence spectra of dysprosium doped thin films. A study of the optical properties (transmittance, index of refraction, optical band gap) and the effects of exposure and thermal annealing below the glass transition temperature on the optical parameters of thin films from the Ga–Ge–Sb–S system is presented.