Unveiling the local structure of the amorphous metal $$\text {Fe}_{(1-x)}\text {Zr}_x$$ Fe ( 1 - x ) Zr x combining first-principles-based simulations and modelling of EXAFS spectra

Abstract Amorphous alloys exhibit useful properties such as the excellent soft magnetic behaviour of Fe-based metallic glasses. The detailed structure of amorphous $$\text {Fe}_{(1-x)}\text {Zr}_x$$ Fe ( 1 - x ) Zr x with x = 0.07, 0.10, and 0.20 is in this work explored through a synergetic combination of atomistic simulations and experimental characterisation. Thin-film samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), while the corresponding atomic structures were simulated using an efficient first-principles-based method called stochastic quenching (SQ). The simulated local atomic arrangements are investigated by constructing the radial- and angular-distribution functions, as well as by Voronoi tesselation. The radial distribution functions are then used to construct a model to fit simultaneously the experimental EXAFS data of multiple samples with different compositions, creating a simple yet accurate description of the atomic structures valid for any composition in the range x = 0.07 to 0.20, using a minimal number of free parameters. This approach significantly improves the accuracy of the fitted parameters and allows us to relate the compositional dependence of the amorphous structures with the magnetic properties. The proposed EXAFS fitting process can be generalised to other amorphous systems, contributing to the understanding of structure-property relationships and the development of amorphous alloys with tailored functional properties.