Positive muon spin depolarization in quenched aluminium dilute alloys

Abstract

Aluminum dilute alloys (Al-0.047 at% Mg, Al-0.052 at% Cu and Al-0.051 at% Si) were quenched from 600‡ and 450‡C. The positive muon behavior in the quenched alloys has been studied. Three peaks (Peak I, II and III) are found. Peak I is due to the trapping and detrapping of positive muons at single impurity atoms. The muon spin depolarization rate at the trap in Peak I was found to be 0.36μsec−1. Peak II is connected to impurity clusters. Peak III is the trapping of muons at quenched-in vacancies. The depolarization rate at the trapping site was found to be 0.2μsec−1. The activation energy of the trapping rate was found to be 25 meV. As the quenched-in vacancies annealed out, the trapping rates decreased to near zero.