Determinations were made of the elementary diffusion jump of minority Sn atoms in the γ-phase of the intermetallic alloy. The diffusionally accelerated decay from a crystalline Cu84Sn16 sample at high temperatures was probed by means of the quasi-elastic nuclear scattering of synchrotron radiation. The diffusional acceleration of the nuclear decay after excitation with a synchrotron flash exhibited a clear dependence upon the sample orientation. Comparing this dependence with model calculations for the diffusionally accelerated decay suggested that Sn jumped via anti-structure sites of the D03 ordered crystal lattice.

Self-Diffusion of Sn Atoms in Cu3Sn Probed by Quasielastic Nuclear Resonant Scattering of Synchrotron Radiation. H.Thiess, A.Baron, D.Ishikawa, T.Ishikawa, D.Miwa, B.Sepiol, S.Tsutsui: Physical Review B, 2003, 67[18], 184302 (6pp)