On the occurrence of modulated phases in binary and ternary rare earth metal trialuminides

Abstract

The investigations made on the synthesis and structural characterization of rare earth metal binary and ternary trialuminides are reported. These alloys were made by suitable homogenization using solid state interdiffusion and were tested by X-ray diffraction. Thin films from the initial agglomerate of the alloys were made by thermal vapour deposition in vacuum. These thin films were studied using transmission electron microscopy. High resolution transmission electron microscopy was also employed for the detailed structural characterization. The as-grown thin films were found to be amorphous. When the films were annealed, they underwent an amorphous-to-crystalline transformation accompanied by the formation of modulated phases. © 1983.