Cadmium germanium arsenide (CGA), CdGeAS(2), is a chalcopyrite-structured non-linear optical crystal with a high non-linear optical coefficient (d(36) = 236 pm/V) and a transparency range of 2.3-18 mu m. This compound is also known to be a glass-former when quenched from a melt. In this study, the glass-forming ability of CGA alloyed with different amounts of P, Sn, Sb, and Pb is examined, and the optical properties of CGA single crystals are compared to those of the amorphous CGA samples. The glass-forming ability of the alloyed compounds was determined using powder X-ray diffraction, and glass transition and recrystallization temperatures were measured using differential scanning calorimetry. Glass formation ranges were measured to be: 0 <= x <= 1 for CdGe(As(1-x)Px)(2), 0 <= x <= 0.4 for CdGe((1-x))Sn(x)AS(2), 0 <= x <= 0.2 for CdGe(As(1-x)Sbx)(2), and 0 <= x <= 0.1 for CdGe((1-x))Pb(x)AS(2). The glass transition temperature of amorphous CGA decreased with the addition of Sn, Sb, and Pb and increased with the addition of P. Optical spectra were measured for the CGA single crystals and the alloyed glasses. The optical band gaps in all of the CGA glass alloys were measured to be higher than that of the CGA crystal (0.54eV). The optical band gap of the CGA glass alloys increased with the addition of lower atomic number elements (P), and decreased with the addition of higher atomic number elements (Sn, Sb, Pb). (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.