Amorphization and recrystallization of covalent tetrahedral networks

In the present paper recent studies on the amorphization and recrystallizat ion of the light covalent ceramics SiC, Si3N4 and SiO2 (and in comparison S i) shall be reviewed. By combining long and short range order sensitive ana lysis techniques new insights into the disordering/reordering mechanisms an d the structure of the disordered materials were gained. The results will b e discussed in the light of a topological approach of the transition betwee n periodic and aperiodic networks. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.