Chalcogenide glasses : preparation properties and applications The unique properties and functionalities of chalcogenide glasses make them promising materials for photonic applications. Chalcogenide glasses are transparent from the visible to the near infrared region and can be moulded into lenses or drawn into fibres. They have useful commercial applications as components for lenses for infrared cameras and chalcogenide glass fibres and optical components are used in waveguides for use with lasers for optical switching chemical and temperature sensing and phase change memories. Chalcogenide glasses comprehensively reviews the latest technological advances in this field and the industrial applications of the technology.