Anisotropic phase separation in amorphous Fe--Ge alloys

Magnetron sputtered amorphous FexGe100-x films have been examined with anomalous small-angle x-ray scattering (ASAXS) in an attempt to characterize composition fluctuations which have been previously reported in this system. Films grown under various deposition conditions have been studied, with the scattering vector both in and oblique to the plane of the films, to search for anisotropy. By manipulating the deposited power flux and rates of growth, films which have the same composition can be grown to different states of phase separation. The total correlation functions have been calculated from the oblique scattering experiments. The anisotropy can be successfully modeled as a close-packing of oriented prolate ellipsoidal particles, with the elongated axis along the direction of film growth. A method for using these measurements to determine the compositions of the phase-separating species has been developed and utilized. The results indicate phase separation into a-Ge and a-FeGe2 for the a-FexGe100-x (x<33) alloy