Omega-like diffuse X-ray scattering in Ti–V caused by static lattice distortions

The diffuse scattering of body-centered cubic β-Ti–V was measured using high-energy synchrotron X-rays and two-dimensional detectors. The study included in situ experiments of the equilibrium β-phase and room temperature measurements of the quenched metastable state. The kinematical X-ray scattering revealed details in reciprocal space that could not be detected by the electron diffraction employed in previous studies. The signal was analyzed using a statistical thermodynamic approach based on physically motivated parameters. The characteristic features attributed to an ω-like structure or a “diffuse ω-phase” in the past are explained by static lattice distortions due to atomic size mismatch.