Atomic Defects in Metals · Ag-Zn

This chapter discusses annealing behaviour of AgZn alloy system. This AgZn is the only alloy where there is clear evidence that SIA migration is slower than vacancy migration. These conclusions are based on measurements of the Zener relaxation of this SRO alloy. The annealing of the electrical resistivity after low temperature electron irradiation is shown. There is indication of some very weak close pair annealing stages followed by a steady annealing up to the range of vacancy migration. However, long range migration of SIA is observed; this large temperature difference means that there is trapping and immobilization at certain near neighbour configurations after a few jumps of the SIA. Vacancy migration leads to changes of the SRO and consequently to a superannealing of Δρ, that is also observed after quenching. For other phases of AgZn there are some results on vacancy formation energies as determined by PAS.