Laser-induced polarization-dependent photocrystallization of amorphous chalcogenide films

Irradiation of amorphous a-Se Ag I and a-Se films by linearly polarized He–Neand Arq ion-laser light was shown 70 15 15 to produce polycrystalline films with linear dichroism, the sign of which is determined by the polarization of the light. Photocrystallization of the films was confirmed by direct structural investigations. Thus, a new phenomenon, the effect of light polarization on the photocrystallization process and on the properties of resultant crystallized films was revealed. Photoinduced anisotropy in a-Se–Ag–I films was shown to have many peculiarities in comparison with that in the formerly studied films, for example, in AsSe films. q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.