Pair distribution function and its relation to the glass transition in an amorphous alloy

Data for the pair distribution function g (r) are presented as a function of temperature for amorphous Nb/sub 0.4/Ni/sub 0.6/. We show, based on a simple model, that g (r) varies linearly with T over a wide temperature range in the glass as was found empirically by Wendt and Abraham. We also find that in our glass the behavior of g (r) near the glass transition is, within experimental error, similar to what they found in their Monte Carlo calculation. We interpret the deviation from linearity at the glass transition as due to the onset of diffusive motion of the atoms