MEDIUM-RANGE INTERACTIONS AND STRUCTURAL COMPLEXITY IN ALUMINUM-BASEDINTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS

Aluminum-transition-metal compounds, at the aluminum end of their phas e diagrams, form a fascinating variety of complex structures. We prese nt a microscopic theory of the chemical trends in the phase stability of these complex structures based on a remarkably strong and long-rang e interaction between the transition-metal atoms in an aluminum host. The mechanism described here provides a satisfactory explanation of th e observed chemical trends. We also treat the effects of Cu on the tra nsition-metal interactions.