Nanoscale metastable state exhibiting pseudotenfold diffraction pattern in Fe-based bulk metallic glass

Abstract

We have found nanoscale metastable state with a $\ensuremath{\chi}\text{-FeCrMo}$-like structure exhibiting pseudotenfold diffraction pattern in the course of crystallization in an Fe-based ${\text{Fe}}_{48}{\text{Cr}}_{15}{\text{Mo}}_{14}{\text{C}}_{15}{\text{B}}_{6}{\text{Tm}}_{2}$ bulk metallic glass with a high glass stability. All the diffraction spots were found along the first and second halo rings of the glass structure. It was also found that the diffraction pattern with the pseudotenfold symmetry changed into the [113] zone-axis pattern of the $\ensuremath{\chi}\text{-FeCrMo}$ structure. On the basis of the results, we discussed local atomic arrangements of this metastable state in relation to the glass stability.