Short-range order in amorphous germanium-tellurium alloys

Abstract The atomic structure of Te-rich amorphous germanium tellurides has been investigated experimentally with high-energy synchrotron radiation and modeled by means of the reverse Monte Carlo technique. Total and partial structure factors and pair correlation functions were simulated. It is shown that the structure of Ge 20 Te 80 and Ge 15 Te 85 glasses can be described by GeTe 4 tetrahedra as structural units which are bridged by Te–Te bonds.