Short-range order of Cu-Zr metallic glasses

The atomic structure of Cu35Zr65, Cu50Zr50, and Cu65Zr35 (at.%) metallic glasses was investigated by means of high-energy X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Three-dimensional structure models were developed by applying the reverse Monte-Carlo method and analyzed in terms of the local atomic arrangements. The geometric short-range order of Cu-Zr glasses is characterized by a variety of polyhedra. The atomic sites of the nearest neighbourhood around a Cu or Zr atom are statistically occupied by Cu or Zr atoms. The composition dependence of the short- and the medium-range order in the Cu-Zr glasses points to a statistical replacement of Cu and Zr atoms in the whole composition range. No indications were observed for the existence of a dominant structural arrangement in the Cu-Zr glasses.