THE DYNAMICS OF INTERFACE RELAXATION AND DESTRATIFICATION IN AGNI MULTILAYERS

Resistance and length changes were measured during thermal treatments on free-standing AgNi multilayers. The experiments allowed a clear sep aration of the successive stages of the microstructural evolution of t hese stratified structures: interfacial relaxation, destratification a nd grain growth. The kinetics of these processes were extracted by mon itoring resistivity and length during thermal cycles and isotherms. A substantial densification was revealed during the interface relaxation , that results in a slowing down of the local reorganization process. An early diffusional creep was also shown; its occurrence is restricte d to the destratification region.