Physical properties of Si20Te80 glasses with various structures and their use in acoustooptic devices

A method for preparing Si20Te80 glasses with various structures is develope d. The basic parameters of the material (refractive index, absorption coeff icient, density, heat conductivity, specific heat) were determined. Electri cal, acoustic, and acoustooptic characteristics, as well as optical absorpt ion spectra of the prepared alloys, were measured in wide ranges of tempera tures and frequencies. The properties of heat-treated specimens quenched un der different conditions were compared. Possible mechanisms of the phenomen a observed are discussed. The synthesized alloy was demonstrated to show co nsiderable promise in the fabrication of high-efficiency acoustooptic devic es. A high-efficiency acoustooptic modulator operating in the wide spectral region from 1.87 to 10.6 mum was fabricated and tested. (C) 2001 MAIK "Nau ka/Interperiodica".