Neutron scattering study of bulk amorphous GaSb

The structure of amorphous GaSb, produced by spontaneous transformation to the amorphous state of the metastable high pressure phase, is determined by neutron diffraction and compared to published results on a sample of the s ame composition but produced by sputtering. The structures are shown to be similar but not in complete agreement. We conclude that the local order is tetrahedral and related to the one in the low pressure crystalline GaSb-I. The packing of the tetrahedra is interpreted as a distorted ZnS blende type of network. A comparative analysis of measured static structure factors fo r a-GaSb with those for other amorphous materials with tetrahedral bonding indicates that the structure of amorphous GaSb has similarities with the st ructure of amorphous germanium and silicon. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.