Structural Transformations and Formation of Microstructures and Nanostructures in Thin Films of Chalcogenide Vitreous Semiconductors

Chalcogenide vitreous semiconductors (ChVSs) are of both fundamental and applied interest as materials in which reversible structural transformations within the amorphous phase and phase transitions to the crystalline state can be effectively implemented and various microstructures and nanostructures can be obtained as a result of external effects. One of the most promising methods for such ChVS modifications is the pulsed-laser-irradiation technique, which is a noncontact technology of local impact and makes it possible to change the structural, optical, and electrical properties of samples in a wide range. This includes methods based on the precision formation of a surface microrelief and nanorelief, and high contrast in the conductivity and refractive index between the crystalline and amorphous phases. This work reviews key publications on the structural modification of thin films from the most widely studied binary and ternary ChVS compounds (As₂S₃, As₂Se₃, Ge₂Sb₂Te₅, etc.) to show the use of irradiated samples as metasurfaces for photonic applications and promising phase-change data storage.