Evaluation of Kinetic Parameters and Thermal Stability of Melt-Quenched BixSe100-xAlloys (x ≤7.5 at%) by Non-Isothermal Thermogravimetric Analysis

Undoped amorphous selenium (α -Se) is a twofoldcoordinated glassy p-type semiconductor with high dark electrical resistivity (~10 Ω cm at 300 K) and bandgap energy Eg as large as 2 eV at 300 K (Bettsteller et al., 1993; Jafar et al., 2016; Mott & Davis, 1979; Saleh et al., 2017). Yet, undoped α-Se has minor photosensitivity for electromagnetic radiation of red wavelengths and larger (Bettsteller et al., 1993; Jafar et al., 2016; Mott & Davis, 1979). In addition, unwanted thermal-/photocrystallization features of pure a-Se at low ambient temperatures, due to its low glasstransition temperature TG (around 45°C), make it of unstable structure and short working lifetime arising from ageing effects and thermal instability that lead to adverse changes in its physical properties (Innami & Adachi, 1999; Kasap et al., 1990; Saleh et al., 2017; Tonchev & Kasap, 2002). A practical approach that may enhance photosensitivity of α-Se to long-wavelength light, besides reducing its ageing features, improving its thermal stability and reforming its structure for use in various technical applications, is to alloy it with the other chalcogens (tellurium [Te] or sulfur [S]) and/ or with metallic/non-metallic elements to form binary (or ternary) Se-based chalcogenide glasses (Kasap & Rowlands, x