Ordering in Cu₃Au: Equilibrium, kinetics and domain growth

Long range order (LRO) was studied in Ll₂-ordered Cu₃Au as a function of temperature by means of residual resistivity. The results were obtained as plateau values of isothermal annealing treatments and therefore correspond to values of LRO in thermal equilibrium. These results of resistivity measurement were calibrated by X-ray diffraction and compared with model calculations. From a comparison of order-order and disorder-order relaxation kinetics changes in the order parameter due to antiphase-domain growth can be separated from ordering within ordered domains.