Photoinduced anisotropy and polarization memory of the photoluminescence in germanium sulfide glasses

Optical anisotropies, caused by the illumination of chalcogenide glasses with polarized light, have been observed experimentally through measurements of, for instance, dichroism and birefringence of an illuminated sample. Polarization memory of the photoluminescence has been considered in the past as a further way to obtain information about the photoinduced anisotropies. It is shown that the latter is not correct and that, consequently, photoluminescence polarization memory cannot be used to help discern between various proposals for the structural rearrangements that underlie the photoinduced changes in the optical properties. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.