https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530050549
Spontaneous alloying of tin atoms into nanometer-sized gold clusters and phase stability in the resultant alloy clusters
1
Research Center for Ultra-High Voltage Electron Microscopy, Osaka
University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
2
National Research Institute for Metals, Sakura,
Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0003, Japan
Received:
2
August
1999
Revised:
8
November
1999
Published online: 15 May 2000
Alloying behavior and phase stability has been studied in situ by transmission electron microscopy using clusters in the Au-Sn system. When tin atoms are vapor-deposited onto nm-sized gold clusters, rapid dissolution of tin atoms into gold clusters takes place and as a result Au-rich solid solution, amorphous-like Au-Sn alloy and AuSn compound clusters are formed depending upon the concentration of tin. The remarkable enhancement of solubility has been observed in Au-rich solid solution and AuSn compound. It becomes more difficult to form two phases in the interior of individual clusters even if the composition of alloy clusters falls in the two-phase region in the phase diagram for the bulk alloy and as a result amorphous-like phase is stabilized in nm-sized Au-Sn alloy clusters.
PACS: 61.16.-d – Electron, ion, and scanning probe microscopy / 36.40.-c – Atomic and molecular clusters / 64.70.-p – Specific phase transitions
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2000
