Formation of crystalline ${\mathrm{Ag}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ni}}_{1\mathrm{-}\mathit{x}}$ solid solutions of unusually high supersaturation by laser ablation deposition

Laser ablation was used in a vapor quenching method to deposit thin Ag-Ni films at room temperature. The films contained substantial amounts of a polycrystalline nonequilibrium ${\mathrm{Ag}}_{\mathit{x}}$ ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{1\mathrm{-}\mathit{x}}$ solid solution, as evidenced by x-ray and electron diffraction. The unusually high degree of supersaturation attained (up to 44 at. % Ag) has not been observed before for a system exhibiting such a strong demixing behavior. The x-ray diffraction ${\sin }^2$ψ method was employed to determine the strain-free lattice parameter of the solid solution. The solid solution decomposed by heating the film.