Thermal stability, glass transition and crystallization kinetics of Se95-xSb5Inx chalcogenide

Calorimetric measurements of chalcogenide Se95-xSb5Inx (x = 0, 6, 8 and 10 at%) alloys are carried out using differential thermal analysis (DTA). The glass forming ability and glass transition are analyzed based on the heating rate dependence. The ability to form crystals is found to be increased with increasing In content indicating the suitably for the anticipated storage. Both the glass transition temperature and the glass transition activation energy increase with increasing In content. The crystallization due to the addition of In to the Se-Sb system is investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The crystallization process is described by two models. These are Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (JMA) model and the empirical Sestak-Berggren (SB) model using an iso-conversional method of the transformation rate. The activation energy of crystallization is found to be increased with increasing In content. Based on the evaluated values of Avrami exponent (n), the crystallization growth is not dimensionally the same for the compositions.