FORMATION OF CRYSTALLINE AGXNI1-X SOLID-SOLUTIONS OF UNUSUALLY HIGH SUPERSATURATION BY LASER-ABLATION DEPOSITION

Laser ablation was used in a vapor quenching method to deposit thin Ag -Ni films at room temperature. The films contained substantial amounts of a polycrystalline nonequilibrium AgxNi1-x solid solution, as evide nced by x-ray and electron diffraction. The unusually high degree of s upersaturation attained (up to 44 at.% Ag) has not been observed befor e for a system exhibiting such a strong demixing behavior. The x-ray d iffraction sin2psi method was employed to determine the strain-free la ttice parameter of the solid solution. The solid solution decomposed b y heating the film.