Neutron Diffraction Study on the Structure of the Metallic Glass Cu₅₇Zr₄₃

The structure of amorphous Cu 57 Zr 43 has been investigated by neutron diffraction using the isotopic substitution method with the isotopes 63 Cu and 65 Cu besides natural Cu. From the scattering contribution of concentration fluctuations to the measured structure factors and from the atomic distances chemical ordering is concluded to exist in amorphous Cu 57 Zr 43 . The structural results are compared with previous experimental and theoretical investigations of Cu- Zr- and other binary metallic glasses formed by transition metals. Evidence is given that the topological as well as the chemical short range order is asymmetric in respect to both components in this type of metallic glasses