Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Xenon irradiation of Fe-W multilayers at room temperature (R.T.) can produce two types of metastable states: low doses (< 1 × 1016 Xe/cm2 ) extend the equilibrium solid solubility of W in Fe and vice versa, maintaining the equilibrium b.c.c. lattice structure of Fe and W; at high doses (> 1 × 1016 Xe/ cm2 ) and in the vicinity of the composition Fe70W30, amorphization can occur. In comparison, RF sputter-deposited FexWl-x films were amorphous over the whole range (0.35<x < 0.79) investigated. The recrystallization temperatures of these amorphous layers exceed 600°C for 15 min vacuum annealing. Whereas Fe-W compounds always form during thermal annealing, these compounds are normally not found after Xe-irradiation of multilayers.
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