Effects of high-intensity pulsed ion beam irradiation on the structural thermal stability of Fe80Si7.43B12.57 metallic glass

A high-intensity pulsed ion beam was used to irradiate Fe80Si7.B-43(12.57) metallic glass at different energy densities and numbers of pulses to study its structural thermal stability. A large number of round holes and a few bumps appeared on the surface of the glass after 300 pulses. No obvious damage was observed on the surface after irradiation at different energy densities. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed that this irradiation had a strong influence on the near-surface atomic arrangement of the glass. Irradiation induced strong migration and aggregation of atoms within the glass, causing an uneven atomic arrangement. Although there was an ordered arrangement of atoms, the metallic glass remained amorphous. The surface reflectivity of the metallic glass decreased slightly after irradiation. The number of irradiation pulses had greater impact on this Fe-based metallic glass than their energy density.