The role of diffusion in amorphous-phase formation and crystallization of amorphous Ni–Zr

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Abstract
The Ni–Zr system is examined as a representative system for the formation of an amorphous phase by diffusion and for the crystallization of an amorphous phase by diffusion. High-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) is used to show that the amorphous phase grows by bulk diffusion through the amorphous material rather than by short-circuit diffusion. Also, the HREM shows that the amorphous phase formed by diffusion appears to be the same as the vapor-deposited amorphous phase. A correlation between crystallization temperatures (Tx) and the enthalpy of large-atom hole formation is given. This correlation predicts values of Tx that are lower than those predicted from the small-atom hole-formation model. The difference in hole-formation enthalpies for the large and small atoms is given as a criterion for amorphous-phase formation via diffusion.