The ordering of the crystalline phase alpha-Fe(Si) in annealed Fe73.5C
u1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy has been investigated in detail in this paper usin
g XRD technology. The alpha-Fe(Si) phase in the Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 a
lloy annealed at 490 degrees C for I h has been found to consist of a
DO3 order region with the shape of a sphere and a disordered region. T
he size of the DO3 order region and the degree of order of the alpha-F
e(Si) phase increase with increasing annealing temperature. All region
s in the alpha-Fe(Si) rain almost have the DO3 structure as the anneal
ing temperature increases to 590 degrees C, The shape of the DO3 order
region of the alpha-Fe(Si) phase in the Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy an
nealed at 550 degrees C changes from spheroid for 20 min into spherica
l for 60 min. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.