The effect of indium additive on crystallization kinetics and thermal stability of Se–Te–Sn chalcogenide glasses

The crystallization kinetics of bulk Se90−xTe5Sn5Inx (x=0, 3, 6 and 9) multi-component chalcogenide glasses have been studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) with heating rates 5, 10, 15 and 20 K/min under non-isothermal conditions. Values of various kinetic parameters of crystallization, such as onset crystallization temperature (Tc), peak crystallization temperature (Tp), activation energy of crystallization (Ec), rate constant (Kp), Hruby number (Kgl) and the order parameter (n) have been determined. It was found that activation energy of crystallization and rate constant (Kp) are minimum at 9 at% In. On the basis of the obtained experimental data the temperature difference (Tc−Tg) and Kgl increase with In concentration, which further indicates that 9 at% In glass is most thermally stable in the entire composition range of investigation.