Virtual Angstrom-Beam Electron Diffraction Analysis for Zr₈₀Pt₂₀ Metallic Glasses

Abstract

To analyze amorphous structure models obtained by a molecular dynamics (or reverse Monte Carlo) simulation, we propose a virtual angstrom-beam electron diffraction analysis. In this analysis, local electron diffraction patterns are calculated for the amorphous models at equal intervals as performed in the experiment, and the local structures that generate paired diffraction spots in the diffraction patterns are further analyzed by combining them with a Fourier transform and a Voronoi polyhedral analysis. For an example of Zr80Pt20, an aggregate of coordination polyhedra is formed which generates similar diffraction patterns from most parts within the aggregate. Furthermore, the coordination polyhedra are connected in certain orientational relationships which could enhance the intensity of the diffraction spots.

Keywords

• amorphous
• metallic glass
• short-range order
• medium range order
• structure analysis
• electron diffraction simulation