Ge-Al-Cr-La amorphous alloys containing crystalline-like zones

The structure of new multicomponent Ge ₅₅ Al ₃₀ Cr ₁₀ La ₅ and Ge ₆₀ Al ₂₈ Cr ₇ La ₅ alloys produced by rapid solidification consists of extremely small (1-2 nm) crystalline-like particles homogeneously distributed in the amorphous matrix. Due to their small size they can be rather treated as zones having a certain degree of long range order. There are no crystalline peaks in the X-ray diffraction pattern and the diffuse halo is separated into two parts as in the case of Al-Ge-TM alloys. After annealing at the temperature 40-90 K below the crystallization temperature of the amorphous phase the part of the separated halo located at lower 2 theta angles broadens and shifts to lower double theta angle area. It is suggested, that some atomic redistribution occurs in the amorphous matrix. The size and distribution of the nanoscale crystalline-like zones remain practically unchanged up to the crystallization temperature of the amorphous matrix.