Abstract
This paper reports the preparation conditions and structure characteristics of Al–Cr–Fe very thin films (10–30 nm) obtained by the flash evaporation technique. The films are either amorphous or crystallized, depending on the thickness of the sample and temperature of the substrate. Annealing of amorphous films leads to crystallization of intermetallic phases that are all linked with quasicrystals. In particular, we have identified by transmission electron microscopy the following structures: body-centered-cubic (bcc) γ-brass phase, monoclinic λ–Al13(Cr,Fe)4 phase, and orthorhombic O1-phase, all of them already observed in this system, together with four new structures, i.e., a face-centered-cubic (fcc) γ-brass phase (superstructure of the bcc phase), monoclinic λ′-phase (related to the λ-phase) and two orthorhombic phases (1/1/; 1/1) and (1/0; 2/1) approximants of the decagonal phase). In this study, we point out the occurrence of twin defects of the λ–Al13(Cr,Fe)4 phase. Films prepared directly in the crystalline state comprise the O1 approximant. Electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements show that all films are not oxidized except for the presence of a native oxide layer that forms in ambient atmosphere with a thickness that cannot exceed 0.3 nm. Optical properties were investigated and show that films need to be large enough (>30 nm) to reproduce the properties of bulk alloys. Finally, contact angle wetting measurements reveal that the presence of such films on a substrate, even at very low thickness, considerably decreases the wetting behavior by water.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
L. Johann, A. En Naciri, L. Broch, V. Demange, F. Machizaud, and J.M. Dubois: Spectroscopic ellipsometric characterization of approximant thin films of Al-Cr-Fe deposited on glass substrates. Physica E. 17, 552 (2003).
V. Demange, PhD, Thesis Dissertation, INPL, (unpublished).
V. Demange, J.S. Wu, V. Brien, F. Machizaud, and J.M. Dubois: New approximant phases in AlCrFe. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 294-296, 79 (2000).
V. Demange, J.W. Anderegg, J. Ghanbaja, F. Machizaud, D.J. Sordelet, M. Besser, P.A. Thiel, and J.M. Dubois: Surface oxidation of AlCrFe alloys characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Appl. Surf. Sci. 173, 327 (2001).
A.J. Bradley and S.S. Lu: An x-ray study of the chromium-aluminium equilibrium diagram. J. Inst. Met. 60, 319 (1937).
M. Palm: The Al-Cr-Fe system-phases and phase equilibria in the Al-rich corner. J. Alloys Compd. 252, 192 (1997).
J.K. Brandon, W.B. Pearson, P.W. Riley, P.C. Chieh, and R. Stokhuyzen: γ-brasses with R cells. Acta Crystallogr. B 33, 1088 (1977).
A.J. Bradley and S.S. Lu: The crystal structures of Cr2Al and Cr5Al8. Z. Krist. 96, 20 (1937).
M.H. Booth, J.K. Brandon, R.Y. Brizard, C. Chieh, and W.B. Pearson: γ-brasses with F cells. Acta Crystallogr. B 33, 30 (1977).
J.K. Brandon, P.C. Chieh, W.B. Pearson, and P.W. Riley: An error parameter analysis of tetrahedral configurations in γ brass structures. Acta Crystallogr. A 31, 236 (1975).
L. Arnberg, A. Jonsson, and S. Westman: The structure of the δ-phase in the Cu-Sn system: A phase of γ-brass type with an 18Å superstructure. Acta Crystallogr. A 31, S98 (1975).
S.P. Ge and H.K. Kuo: Ordered γ-brass structures coexisting with the decagonal quasicrystal in a Ga46Fe23Cu23Si8 alloy. J. Mater. Res. 14, 2799 (1999).
C. Dong and J.M. Dubois: Quasicrystals and crystalline phases in Al65Cu10Fe10Cr5 alloy. J. Mater. Sci. 26, 1647 (1991).
H. Selke, U. Vogg, and P.L. Ryder: Approximants of the icosahe-dral phase in as-cast Al65Cu20Cr15. Philos. Mag. B 65, 421 (1992).
W. Liu and U. Köster: Eutectoid decomposition of the icosahedral quasicrystals in melt-spun Al65Cu20Cr15 alloys. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 154, 193 (1992).
V. Khare, N.P. Lalla, R.S. Tiwari, and O.N. Srivastava: On the new structural phases in Al65Cu20Cr15 quasicrystalline alloy. J. Mater. Res. 10, 1905 (1995).
K. Sugiyama, H. Saito, and K. Hiraga: On the crystal structures of the Al-Cu-Cr alloy system. J. Alloy. Comp. 342, 148 (2002).
Y.H. Qi, Z.P. Zhang, Z.K. Hei, and C. Dong: The microstructure analysis of Al-Cu-Cr phases in Al65Cu20Cr15 quasicrystalline particles/Al base composites. J. Alloys Compd. 285, 221 (1999).
A. Johansson and S. Westman: Determination of the structure of cubic gamma-Pt,Zn: A phase of gamma brass type with Å superstructure. Acta Chem. Scand. A 24, 3471 (1970).
L. Westin and L.E. Edshammar: On the crystal structure of RhMg6. Acta Chem. Scand. A 25, 1480 (1971).
L. Arnberg, A. Jonsson, and S. Westman: The structure of the δ-phase in the Cu-Sn system. A phase of γ-brass type with an 18 Å superstructure. Acta Chem. Scand. A 30, 187 (1976).
S. Lidin, M. Jacob, and A.K. Larsson: (Fe,Ni)Zn6.5, a superstructure of γ-brass. Acta Crystallogr. C 50, 340 (1994).
J.N. Barbier, N. Tamura, and J.L. Verger-Gaugry: Monoclinic Al13Fe4 approximant phase: A link between icosahedral and decagonal phases. J. Non-Cryst. Solids 153–154, 126 (1993).
X.D. Zou, K.K. Fung, and K.H. Kuo: Orientation relationship of decagonal quasicrystal and tenfold twins in rapidly cooled Al-Fe alloy. Phys. Rev. B 35, 4526 (1987).
X.L. Ma and K.H. Kuo: Crystallographic characteristics of the Al-Co decagonal quasicrystal and its monoclinic approximant τ2-Al13Co4. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 25, 47 (1994).
J. Grin, U. Burkhardt, and M. Ellner: Refinement of the Fe4Al13 structure and its relationships to the quasihomologocal homeo-typical structures. Z. Kristall. 209, 479 (1994).
J. Grin, U. Burkhardt, M. Ellner, and K. Peters: Crystal structure of orthorhombic Co4Al13. J. Alloys Compd. 206, 243 (1994).
K. Saito, K. Sugiyama, and K. Hiraga: Al13M4-type structures and atomic models of their twins. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 294–296, 279 (2000).
X.L. Ma, H. Liebertz, and U. Köster: Multiple twins of mono-clinic Al13Fe4 showing pseudo-orthorhombic and fivefold symmetries. Phys. Status Solidi 158, 359 (1996).
C. Cahn and O.L. Krivanek: EELS Atlas. Edited by ASU HREM Facility, Tempe, AZ and Gatan Warrendale, PA (1983).
V. Demange, J.W. Anderegg, F. Machizaud, D.J. Sordelet, P.A. Thiel, and J.M. Dubois: New approximants in the Al–Cr–Fe system and their oxidation resistance. J. Alloys Compd. 342, 24 (2002).
V. Demange, A. Milandri, M.C. de Weerd, F. Machizaud, G. Jeandel, and J.M. Dubois: Optical conductivity of Al–Cr–Fe approximant compounds. Phys. Rev. B 65, 144205 (2002).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Demange, V., Ghanbaja, J., Beeli, C. et al. Study of decagonal approximant and γ-brass-type compounds in Al–Cr–Fe thin films. Journal of Materials Research 19, 2285–2297 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2004.0311
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2004.0311