# Exploring Structural Changes in Ge-Te Amorphous Films Through Small-Angle Neutron Scattering
## 5 Conclusions  
Using the SANS technique, five samples of the Ge\({}_{x}\)Te\({}_{1-x}\) system were studied, with the aim of obtaining experimental confirmation of effects observed through other experimental and simulation techniques. A range of germanium content, specifically \(x<0.50\), was selected where structural changes were anticipated. The main and most evident conclusion is the confirmation of the existence of three compositional zones, with a central transition zone bridging the low- and high-Ge content zones.  
Fitting [PERSON]'s region in the SANS part of the diffractograms reveals that the system exhibits a complex topology, possibly of a fractal nature. Further exploration of the morphology and dimensionality within the Ge\({}_{x}\)Te\({}_{1-x}\) system could offer additional insights into the mechanisms underlying the observed scattering behaviour. The intensity patterns in the diffraction region suggest that the Ge\({}_{x}\)Te\({}_{1-x}\) glass system undergoes significant atomic structural changes as the germanium content increases. This observation is consistent with the fact that, within the range of compositions studied here, the Ge-rich mixtures exhibit PCM properties.  
The trends in the correlation distances indicate that, with increasing Ge content, the glass structure shifts towards a state where IRO becomes more stabilised, while SRO is somewhat relatively diminished. The difference between these correlation distances (Figure 5) suggests a restructuring process that strengthens the intermediate order at the expense of short-range connectivity.  
This delicate balance between short- and intermediate-range structures likely influences the material's overall properties, and further studies could provide deeper insights into how these structural variations impact its use across fields like optics and electronics. The interplay between enhanced intermediate-range ordering and a reduced short-range order may significantly affect macroscopic properties such as density, rigidity, and thermal stability, offering valuable guidance for tailoring glass structures to suit specific applications.  
This work highlights the usefulness of neutron diffraction in complementing results obtained from X-rays, particularly regarding the intensity of the FSDP. For example, X-ray data recently employed in RMC simulations [24] barely show the presence of this peak, whereas, in the case of neutrons, it becomes significantly more pronounced. Our study provides experimental evidence that could, in the future, open new avenues for simulations using neutron data and potentially for simulations integrating data from both probes simultaneously. Achieving this would require extending the study to higher momentum transfer values, enabling more precise conclusions about the structural properties.  
Conceptualisation, A.A.P., A.P. and G.J.C.; methodology, G.J.C.; sample preparation, R.E.; laboratory experiments, R.E. and A.A.P.; SANS experiments, A.A.P., R.E., V.C. and G.J.C.; formal analysis, G.J.C.; investigation, A.A.P. and A.P.; data curation, V.C.; writing--original draft preparation, G.J.C.; writing--review and editing, A.A.P. and G.J.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research received no external funding.  
Not applicable.  
This data can be found here: Experiment 6-05-990, Institut Laue-Langevin (2017), [[https://doi.org/10.5291/ILL-DATA.6-05-990](https://doi.org/10.5291/ILL-DATA.6-05-990)]([https://doi.org/10.5291/ILL-DATA.6-05-990](https://doi.org/10.5291/ILL-DATA.6-05-990)) (accessed on 23 November 2024).  
We are grateful to the ILL for providing neutron beam time ([[https://doi.org/10.5](https://doi.org/10.5)]([https://doi.org/10.5](https://doi.org/10.5)) 291/ILL-DATA.6-05-990, accessed on 23 November 2024).  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.