Changes in the short-range order and magnetic properties of the amorphous magnetic metal alloy Fe78Cu1Nb4B3.5Si13.5 following cryogenic treatment

The total structure factor and the total pair correlation function of as-quenched and cryogenically treated (i.e. cooled fast and kept for some time at liquid nitrogen temperature) Fe78Cu1Nb4B3.5Si13.5 samples are measured by the neutron diffraction method. In the region ∼1.2 nm a change in the atomic structure is seen. Changes in the atomic density are mainly observed for interatomic distances of the short-range order up to ∼0.4 nm. It is found that there arises correlation between short-range order changes and magnetic properties of amorphous alloys following cryogenic treatment. The short order changes are explained by structural relaxation.