Evaluation of the local environment for nanoscale quasicrystal formation in Zr₈₀Pt₂₀glassy alloy using Voronoi analysis

Abstract

The local atomic structure of nano-quasicrystal-forming Zr(80)Pt(20) binary glassy alloy was investigated by reverse Monte Carlo modeling based on the results of x-ray diffraction. A prepeak at Q∼17 nm(-1) originating from the unique bonding between the Pt-Pt pair is observed in the structure factor. Voronoi analysis indicates that an icosahedral-like polyhedron is formed around Pt. It is also found that icosahedral-like polyhedra exist around Zr; however, the fraction of perfect icosahedra is considerably lower than that in the nano-quasicrystalforming Zr(70)Pd(30) glassy alloy. A difference in the local environment between the two binary quasicrystal-forming glassy alloys is suggested.