High frequency dynamics of BMG determined by synchrotron radiation: A microscopic picture

Mechanical properties are becoming the focus in research on bulk metallic glasses (BMG), as they are the limiting factor for structural applications. A wide range of experimental techniques gives complementary macroscopic data that are often difficult to correlate with the microscopic structural knowledge of the same materials. Recently, high resolution inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) was applied to determine the high frequency dynamics of BMG [T. Scopigno, J.-B. Suck, R. Angelini, F. Albergamo, G. Ruocco, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 (2006) 135501]. This technique offers a new approach to the mechanic properties helping to bridge the gap between the microscopic and the macroscopic picture. Here we will present results of IXS experiments on bulk metallic glasses with different fragility values, obtained at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble (France).