title: Origin of pressure-induced polyamorphism in Ce75Al25 metallic glass.
abstract: Using high-pressure synchrotron x-ray absorption spectroscopy, we observed the Ce 4f electron in Ce(75)Al(25) metallic glass transform from its ambient localized state to an itinerant state above 5 GPa. A parallel x-ray diffraction study revealed a volume collapse of about 8.6%, coinciding with 4f delocalization. The transition started from a low-density state below 1.5 GPa, went through continuous densification ending with a high-density state above 5 GPa. This new type of electronic polyamorphism in densely packed metallic glass is dictated by the Ce constituent, and is fundamentally distinct from the well-established structural polyamorphism in which densification is caused by coordination change and atomic rearrangement.
authors.affiliation: International Center for New-Structured Materials and Laboratory of New-Structured Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
authors.forename: Qiao-shi
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Wendy L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Wenge
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Stas V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Sinogeikin
authors.forename: Jinfu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Ho-kwang
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: J Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Jiang