Changes in close-range order in amorphous island films of aluminum during heating and melting

By sputtering in vacuum on collodion substrates at room temperature, amorphous films of aluminum are obtained, consisting of particles up to 10 nm in diameter. Their structure is investigated by electron diffraction. By analysis of difference functions of the radial atomic distribution the authors elucidate the changes in the ordering of the atoms during crystallization and melting of the amorphous film of aluminum. They establish the sequence of changes in close-range order in the process of crystallization under the electron beam on the basis of the structures sc → bcc → fcc