Structural studies on liquid Ge-chalcogen mixtures by using neutron diffraction

Neutron diffraction measurements on liquid Ge-Se mixtures, and liquid GeS2 and GeTe2 have been carried out by using the pulsed neutron source KENS. Th e obtained structure data for Se-rich samples suggest that Ge and Se atoms connect each other with covalent bond even in the liquid state. For Ge-rich samples, the bond seems to change from covalent to weaker one. At the comp osition of GeSe2, a large prepeak suggests existence of network structure. The same prepeak was seen for liquid GeS2. For liquid GeTe2, on the other h and, the prepeak does not exist and the bonds show metallic property. (C) 1 999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.