Nanocrystallization of Al92Sm8 studied by electrical resistivity -: formation of monatomic Sm spherical layer

We present a model describing the temperature dependence of the resistivity of the Al92Sm8 system during formation of fcc-Al nanocrystals. We take into consideration changes in resistivity of the amorphous phase due to the changing content of Al, the varying density of the crystallization nuclei, the creation of the Sm layer on the grain surface and decomposition appearing during, annealing of the amorphous phase. Our calculations exhibit a better agreement with experimental electrical resistivity data for the nanocrystallization model considering previous decomposition of amorphous structure and formation of a monatomic Sm layer on grain boundaries than for a model of nanocrystallization on quenched-in nuclei with growth controlled by diffusion with a diffusion field impingement.