Infrared and Raman spectroscopy study of As-S chalcogenide films prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

As-S chalcogenide films, where As content is 60-40 at.%, have been prepared via a RF non-equilibrium low temperature argon plasma discharge, using volatile As and S as the precursors. Optical properties of the films were studied in UV-visible-NIR region in the range from 0.2 to 2.5 mu m. Infrared and Raman spectroscopy have been employed for the elucidation of the molecular structure of the newly developed material. It was established that PECVD films possess a higher degree of transparency (up to 80%) and a wider transparency window (>20 mu m) in comparison with the "usual" As-S thin films, prepared by different thermal methods, which is highly advantageous for certain applications. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.