Structure and dynamics of a two-component metallic glass

Abstract

Computations of the frequencies of longitudinal and transverse phonon modes in a two-component metallic glass (Mg70Zn30) based on the pseudopotential approach used for the calculation of interatomic pair potential have been presented. The theory employed for these calculations is a self-consistent phonon theory as developed by Takeno and Goda (1971) for amorphous solids. The computed results are compared with molecular dynamics and neutron inelastic scattering experiments. It appears that the short-wavelength collective excitations detected in this glass arise from longitudinal phonon excitations and probably not from a diffuse Umklapp scattering from transverse acoustic waves.