Systematic mapping of icosahedral short-range order in a melt-spun Zr36Cu64 metallic glass

Phys Rev Lett. 2013 May 17;110(20):205505. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.205505. Epub 2013 May 17.

Abstract

By analyzing the angular correlations in scanning electron nanodiffraction patterns from a melt-spun Zr(36)Cu(64) glass, the dominant local order was identified as icosahedral clusters. Mapping the extent of this icosahedral short-range order demonstrates that the medium-range order in this material is consistent with a face-sharing or interpenetrating configuration. These conclusions support results from atomistic modeling and a structural basis for the glass formability of this system.