Prediction of amorphous phase stability in the metal-silicon systems

The stability of the amorphous phase with respect to the liquid phase in metal-silicon systems is modeled thermodynamically as a second-order phase transformation. The glass transition temperature of amorphous silicon is estimated according to the experimentally determined heat of crystallization and the Third Law of Thermodynamics. The feasibility of the model has been demonstrated using the Pd-Si, Co-Si, and Au-Si systems as examples. The predicted glass transition temperatures and heat of formation of the amorphous phase are consistent with available experimental data. The predicted amorphization stabilization at low temperatures in the Co-Si systems agrees with experimental observations. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.