Electronic Structure Inheritance and Pressure-Induced Polyamorphism in Lanthanide-Based Metallic Glasses

G. Li, Y. Y. Wang, P. K. Liaw, Y. C. Li, and R. P. Liu

Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 125501 – Published 18 September 2012

Abstract

We report that a series of lanthanide-based bulk metallic glasses show a pressure-induced polyamorphic phase transition observed by in situ angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction under high pressures. The transition started from a low-density state at lower pressures, and went through continuous densification ending with a high-density state at higher pressures. We demonstrate that, under high pressure, this new type of polyamorphism in densely packed metallic glasses is inherited from its lanthanide-solvent constituent and related to the electronic structure of $4 f$ electrons. The found electronic structure inheritance could provide the guidance for designing new metallic glasses with unique functional physical properties.

Received 6 June 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.125501

Authors & Affiliations

G. Li^1,2,*, Y. Y. Wang¹, P. K. Liaw², Y. C. Li³, and R. P. Liu^1,†

¹State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
²Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
³Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China