Time-resolved study of the crystallization dynamics in a metallic glass

Author(s)

Michael Leitner, Bogdan Sepiol, Lorenz-Mathias Stadler, Bastian Pfau

Abstract

We report a study of the atomic-scale dynamics in a metallic glass of composition Zr65Ni10Cu17.5Al7.5 by x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. Our results show a continuous slowing down of the dynamics from the pristine state of the sample until crystallization. We propose a phenomenological model in a framework of thermally activated dynamics with a decreasing attempt rate dependent on the sample state that quantitatively describes our results, giving an activation energy of EA=1.95±0.10 eV. This allows us to conclude that atomic motion and crystallization are manifestations of the same process, with the time scale of crystallization on the order of 100 local atomic rearrangements. This rules out the notion of equilibrium diffusion in a relaxed glassy state in this system.

Organisation(s)

Dynamics of Condensed Systems

External organisation(s)

Hamburger Synchrotronstahlungslabor HASYLAB , BESSY GmbH

Journal

Physical Review B

Volume

86

No. of pages

7

ISSN

1098-0121

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.86.064202

Publication date

2012

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103009 Solid state physics

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/timeresolved-study-of-the-crystallization-dynamics-in-a-metallic-glass(8cc65ce0-462d-4fa1-8dcc-4f488549aa6c).html