LOW ACOUSTIC LOSS CHALCOGENIDE GLASSES— A NEW CATEGORY OF MATERIALS FOR ACOUSTIC AND ACOUSTO-OPTIC APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Some ternary groups 1VA-VA-V1A nonoxide glasses have been found which have very low acoustic losses of the order of fused silica, low values of sound velocity, and very high acousto-optic figures of merit. Their optical transmission range is 1 – 12μ. The unusual combination of these parameters in a chemically stable isotropic medium make these glasses attractive for us in acoustic and acousto-optic devices operating at infrared wavelengths.