Adjustment of temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity in Cu66Zr34 metallic glass through surface oxidation induced phase decomposition

Amorphous Cu66Zr34 alloy decomposes into Cu, ZrO2, and residual amorphous phase after oxidation, mainly due to differences between the oxygen affinity to Cu and Zr. A four-layer structure formed near the surface consisting of two oxidized layers, a transition region, and the matrix. The crystalline phases exhibited a gradient distribution along the thickness. The oxidized ribbons showed an adjustable temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity as a function of thickness. Near constant electrical resistivity (TCR ≈ 0) could be obtained with a thickness of 20 μm. Such transformation can be utilized for producing precision wires or thin-film chip resistors through oxidation.