CRYSTAL-TO-AMORPHOUS PHASE-TRANSFORMATION OF THE GA-SB HIGH-PRESSURE PHASE

The solid-state amorphization and subsequent crystallization of the qu enched 'white tin' high-pressure phase of Ga-Sb alloys containing 20-8 0 at.% Sb were studied at ambient pressure by differential scanning ca lorimetry and dilatometry. Within the experimental uncertainty, the he at of both amorphization and crystallization did not change over the h omogeneity region for the 'white tin' phase (47.5-52.5 at.% Sb); the h eats were exothermic and equal to 3.5 +/- 0.5 and 8.3 +/- 1.0 kJ/mol, respectively. The amorphization was accompanied by a sample volume exp ansion of about 25%. The processes of amorphization and crystallizatio n involved a multistage process.