High surface mobility and fast surface enhanced crystallization of metallic glass

Abstract

The surface viscosity and self-diffusion of a Pd-based metallic glass were measured using annealing-induced decay of its surface submicron gratings. Strong surface dynamics and surface diffusion with the value of more than 105 times faster than bulk diffusion are found at temperatures below glass transition. The high surface dynamic induces a fast crystallization below glass transition temperature at the free surface which is more than 100 times faster than that in bulk.