STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF METASTABLE SOLUTI ONS FORMED BY COEVAPORATIONOF THE ELEMENTS CU AND MO

A sputtering technique and a split target (Cu and Mo) arrangement were used to produce a metastable nanocrystalline phase in the Mo-Cu syste m which has a positive heat of mixing. The present study is restricted to samples with the same single atomic concentration: 78 at. pet. Cu. The structure of the sputtered coatings were characterized by transmi ssion electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and x-ray spectroscopy me thods. Specifically to this atomic composition, coatings are crystalli zed into a face-centered cubic phase and well textured along (111) pla ne families. A decomposition process is analyzed after isochronal anne aling between 150 and 550 degrees C.