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Updated: Mar 30, 2026

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
Published on: June 7, 2018
X-Ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy Reveals Intermittent Aging Dynamics in a Metallic Glass
Zach Evenson1,2, Beatrice Ruta3, Simon Hechler4
1Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) and Physik Department, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 1, 85748 Garching, Germany.
Abstract:
We use coherent x rays to probe the aging dynamics of a metallic glass directly on the atomic level. Contrary to the common assumption of a steady slowing down of the dynamics usually observed in macroscopic studies, we show that the structural relaxation processes underlying aging in this metallic glass are intermittent and highly heterogeneous at the atomic scale. Moreover, physical aging is triggered by cooperative atomic rearrangements, driven by the relaxation of internal stresses. The rich diversity of this behavior reflects a complex energy landscape, giving rise to a unique type of glassy-state dynamics.
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