Optical Evidence for a Network of Cracklike Voids in Amorphous Germanium

The electrodynamic phenomenon of void resonance is used to interpret anomalous structure reported by Donovan and co-workers in the uv dielectric constants of evaporated amorphous germanium. The resulting void parameters are consistent with the existence of a connected network of microcracks perhaps 6 {} in width, separating much larger islands of void-free material. The origin and consequences of these fissures are discussed, including the expectation that several film properties are anisotropic.