The temperature dependence of Ni self-diffusion in amorphous alloys was deduced from interdiffusion measurements by studying the rate of decrease in amplitude of composition-modulated thin films. The temperature and pressure effects on Hf diffusion in amorphous Ni54Zr46 alloys were also measured by using secondary ion mass spectrometry. The activation energies were found to be equal to 1.33eV/atom for Ni diffusion and to 0.76eV/atom for Hf diffusion. The dependence upon pressure was studied by annealing (412C, 10h) under hydrostatic pressures ranging from 0.02 to 0.96GPa. These data indicated an activation volume of 0.008nm3/atom for Hf diffusion in the amorphous alloys. The results were explained in terms of point-defect models, or collective models which involved several atoms.

A.Grandjean, Y.Limoge: Acta Materialia, 1997, 45[4], 1585-98