Hierarchical fivefold symmetry in CuZr metallic glasses

Abstract

In this letter, we use molecular dynamics simulations to show that the CuZr metallic glasses have an intricate hierarchical fivefold symmetry that, either from the perspective of atom packing or icosahedral packing, the CuZr glasses follow the same fivefold packing symmetry in medium range. This fivefold symmetry extends up to surprisingly the eighth atomic shells, with the first five shells packed in Bergman- icosahedral scheme. These results show greater degree of order in glasses than presently envisaged and good agreement with experimental measurements which imply the intrinsic correlation between metallic glasses and quasicrystals as well.