Structural Relaxation and Atomic Mobility by Magnetic Anisotropy Measurements in Some Metallic Glasses

We compare the magnetic anisotropy induced by thermomagnetic treatments in some amorphous metallic alloys, considered in three different states : as-received, annealed, annealed and subsequently quenched. The atomic mobility is shown to decrease during an anneal, and to be partially restored by a quench. It is concluded that some processes involved in what is called "structural relaxation" are reversible, at least in part.