Anomalous rappochement of atoms in Al-rich metallic glasses

Formation of Al-rich metallic glasses is simulated using a simple model for Al₉₀La₁₀. A prepeak is found in the pair correlation function which corresponds to an anomalous rapprochement of atoms in La-Al pairs. Each rare earth La atom is found to have an Al counterpart situated anomalously closely to it. Existence of such pairs seems to be an important factor in the formability and stability of glasses in which the ratio of the rare earth to Al content is close to 1:9.