Solid State Amorphization Reactions in thin Film Diffusion Couples

Metastable materials including amorphous materials have traditionally been synthesized from either the vapor or the liquid state. Very recently, it has been demonstrated that an amorphous alloy can be obtained by interdiffusion reactions in crystalline binary thin-film diffusion couples. This thesis focuses its study on the formation of amorphous alloys and the subsequent formation of crystalline compounds in thin-film diffusion couples. Both the thermodynamics and kinetics of amorphous phase formation have been examined. The evolution of these diffusion couples has been followed in some detail. Relevant factors governing the evolution of diffusion couples in general will be discussed.