Vibrational dynamics of glassy and molten ZnCl2

Abstract

Polarized Raman spectra of ZnCl2 were obtained in the liquid phase near the melting point (T = 598 K), and in the glassy phase (T = 293 K). Measurements were performed down to a very low frequency shift (2 cm−1) from the exciting line. Our analysis of the Raman data provides an interpretation of the collision-like contribution in terms of a structural relaxation time in the picosecond range, while the phonon-like contribution gives an effective Raman density of states. These results are also discussed in terms of existing structureal models.