SHORT RANGE ORDERING AND LOCAL DISPLACEMENT OF ALLOYS STUDIED BY CVM

Abstract

Cluster Variation Method (CVM) is a powerful statistical mechanics means to investigate phase equilibria of an alloy. The advantageous feature of the CVM stems from the fact that wide range of atomic correlations which play an important role at the phase transition is efficiently incorporated into the free energy formula. Hence, configurational fluctuation can be systematically studied through the calculations of correlation functions in the real space and short range order diffuse intensity spectrum in the k-space. However, one of the deficiencies of the conventional CVM is the fact that local lattice distortion (local atomic displacement) is not correctly dealt with. In order to improve such shortcomings, Continuous Displacement Cluster Variation Method (CDCVM) has been developed. In the CDCVM, local lattice distortion is mapped onto the configurational freedom of a multi-component alloy on a rigid (uniformly deformable) lattice. With CDCVM, the applicability of CVM is enlarged and the calculations of diffuse intensity spectrum originating from local lattice distortion can be performed.