Phase transformation quasicrystalline–amorphous in Zr–Ti–Ni–Cu by swift heavy ions

The stability of the icosahedral quasicrystalline alloy Zr64.5Ti11.4Ni13.8Cu10.3 under irradiation with swift heavy ions was examined. The electronic energy loss (dE/dx)e was varied from 18 keV/nm to 38 keV/nm and 42 keV/nm by use of 300 MeV Kr and 350 MeV and 593 MeV Au ions, respectively. The changes of the microstructure of the quasicrystalline phase were characterized ex situ by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Irradiation with 300 MeV Kr up to a fluence of 5 × 1013 ions/cm2 did not lead to any changes of the microstructure of the quasicrystalline phase, whereas this phase was completely amorphized by the Au-ions already after a fluence of 1 × 1013 ions/cm2. After applying a lower fluence of 1 × 1011 ions/cm2 (593 MeV Au) single ion tracks were visualized by TEM.