HALIDE GLASSES

Reasons for the formation of vitreous materials in halide systems are discussed in relation to the nature of the chemical bond. A review of fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide glasses is presented and discussed in terms of stability and technical interest. The most interesting physical properties, especially optical, include the potential of ultra-low loss fiber for power and telecommunications applications. Recent structural investigations by X-ray, computer simulation, etc, allow the presentation of structural models explaining the glass formation by references to the corresponding crystalline halide materials.