Amorphous-to-quasicrystalline transformation in the solid state

Al₈₄Mn₁₆ multilayer films have been amorphized by room-temperature ion-beam irradaitaion. The amorphous phase was transformed into the quasicrystalline state through two routes: thermal and ion-beam-assisted thermal. The intensity of the quasicrystalline electron diffraction increases continuously with annealing between 270 and 350 °C. Ion irradiation of the amorphous phase produces a more complete set of icosahedral diffraction lines than thermal annealing.