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

A. C. Y. Liu, M. J. Neish, G. Stokol, G. A. Buckley, L. A. Smillie, M. D. de Jonge, R. T. Ott, M. J. Kramer, and L. Bourgeois

Accepted Tuesday Apr 16, 2013

By analyzing the angular correlations in scanning electron nano-diffraction patterns from a melt-spun $\text{Zr}_{36}\text{Cu}_{64}$ 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.