Advanced methods for preparing especially pure glasses based on germanium and gallium chalcogenides. Part 2. Synthesis using chemical transport reactions. Review

Alexander P. Velmuzhov; Maxim V. Sukhanov; Elizaveta A. Tyurina; Vladimir S. Shiryaev

doi:10.17308/kcmf.2025.27/12770

Alexander P. Velmuzhov G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Tropinina st., Nizhny Novgorod 603137 Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8739-3868
Maxim V. Sukhanov G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Tropinina st., Nizhny Novgorod 603137 Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0525-6286
Elizaveta A. Tyurina G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Tropinina st., Nizhny Novgorod 603137 Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6107-9862
Vladimir S. Shiryaev G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Tropinina st., Nizhny Novgorod 603137 Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1726-7313

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17308/kcmf.2025.27/12770

Keywords: Сhalcogenide glasses, Especially pure substances, Optical materials, Synthesis, Chemical transport reactions, Laser generation

Abstract

Purpose: The second part of the review presents the results of preparing especially pure glasses based on germanium and gallium chalcogenides with chemical transport reactions.

Experimental part: Deep purification and vacuum loading of metallic gallium, gallium(III) telluride and rare-earth elements (REE) using gallium(III) iodide as a transport agent made it possible to reduce the content of hydrogen, oxygen impurities and heterogeneous inclusions in glasses by 1–2 orders of magnitude compared to tradition direct glass synthesis. We have theoretically justified and experimentally confirmed the high efficiency of REEs as getters for binding and subsequent removal of oxygen impurities from the chalcogenide melt.

Conclusions: The key result achieved by reducing the impurity content is mid-infrared (IR) laser generation in bulk samples of REE-doped chalcogenide glasses and in optical fibers based on them, which was previously not possible in these materials

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Author Biographies

Alexander P. Velmuzhov, G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Tropinina st., Nizhny Novgorod 603137 Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Chem.), Senior Research Fellow at the Laboratory of High-Purity
Chalcogenide Glasses for Mid-IR Photonics, G. G. Devyatykh
Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances of the
Russian Academy of Science (Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation)

Maxim V. Sukhanov, G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Tropinina st., Nizhny Novgorod 603137 Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Chem.), Senior Research Fellow at the Laboratory of High-Purity Chalcogenide
Glasses for Mid-IR Photonics, G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances of the Russian
Academy of Science (Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation)

Elizaveta A. Tyurina, G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Tropinina st., Nizhny Novgorod 603137 Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Chem.), Junior Research
Fellow at the Laboratory of High-Purity Chalcogenide
Glasses for Mid-IR Photonics, G. G. Devyatykh Institute of
Chemistry of High-Purity Substances of the Russian
Academy of Science (Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation)

Vladimir S. Shiryaev, G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Tropinina st., Nizhny Novgorod 603137 Russian Federation

Dr. Sci. (Chem.), Deputy Director
for Research, G. G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-
Purity Substances of the Russian Academy of Science (Nizhny
Novgorod, Russian Federation)

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