Although nanoscale spatial heterogeneity of metallic glasses has been demonstrated by extensive experimental and theoretical investigations, the nature of spatial heterogeneity remains poorly known owing to the absence of a structural depiction of the inhomogeneity from experimental insight. Here we report the experimental characterization of the spatial heterogeneity of a metallic glass by utilizing state-of-the-art angstrom-beam electron diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The subnanoscale electron diffraction reveals that the nanoscale spatial heterogeneity and corresponding density fluctuation have a close correlation with the local structure variation from icosahedronlike to tetragonal crystal-like order. The structural insights of spatial heterogeneity have important implications in understanding the properties and dynamics of metallic glasses.

中文翻译：

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金属玻璃中局部结构有序性与空间异质性的相关性

尽管金属玻璃的纳米级空间异质性已通过广泛的实验和理论研究得到证实，但由于缺乏实验性见解的不均匀性的结构描述，因此空间异质性的性质仍然知之甚少。在这里，我们报告通过利用最新的埃束电子衍射和扫描透射电子显微镜对金属玻璃的空间异质性进行实验表征。亚纳米级电子衍射表明，纳米级空间异质性和相应的密度波动与从二十面体状到四方晶体状的局部结构变化密切相关。