The interpretation of structure functions in quenched binary alloys

Abstract

We study the segregation process in quenched binary alloys by analyzing and comparing the time evolution of the structure function and of the grain distribution obtained from computer simulations on a model system. We find good agreement between cluster sizes and densities determined directly on the computer sample and ones obtained by the Guinier method from the structure function. We then describe a graphical method for determining the scaling behaviour of the structure function S( k, t) which gives good statistics because the whole curve S( k, t) vs k is used. This yields very good agreement between the scaling function (scaled with the Guinier radius) obtained from the computer simulations and from a variety of real experiments. This function shows a universal behaviour independent of the alloy composition, the temperature and even the substance investigated. Our results are also not consistent with the more recent theoretical work (Binder et al., Furukawa et al.) which give alternate derivations and extensions of the Guinier formulas.