LOCAL DISTORTIONS, INSULATING REGIONS, AND NATURE OF THE HIGH-RESISTANCE STATE IN TITANIUM-BASED AND ZIRCONIUM-BASED METASTABLE ALLOYS

A quantum size effect is hypothesized in the electron spectrum in disp erse particles of an omega phase, on the basis of an analysis of featu res of the structural state of the lattice of metastable titanium and zirconium alloys and the electronic structure of the omega phase. Anal ysis of the scattering of ''external'' electrons by such regions leads to an understanding of the basic reasons for the formation of the hig h-resistance state in these alloys. Resistive anomalies and structural anomalies (local distortions) in dilute alloys are explained under th e assumption that small quasicrystalline (icosahedral) clusters form.