The β relaxation in metallic glasses: an overview

Metallic glasses, combining metallic bonding and disordered atomic structures, are at the cutting edge of metallic materials research. Recent advances in this field have revealed that many key questions in glassy physics are inherently connected to one important relaxation mode: the so-called secondary (β) relaxation. Here, in metallic glasses, we review the features of β relaxations and their relations to other processes and properties. Special emphasis is put on their current roles and future promise in understanding the glass transition phenomenon, mechanical properties and mechanisms of plastic deformation, diffusion, physical aging, as well as the stability and crystallization of metallic glasses.