The Effect of Rapid Photon Treatment of the PdCu Solid Solution Foil of Near-Equiatomic Composition

Abstract

β \( \rightleftarrows \) α transformations in a thin ~4 µm foil of the PdCu solid solution have been studied by X-ray powder diffraction and measurement of electrical resistance in heating–cooling cycles during heat treatment or rapid photon treatment by radiation of high-power pulsed xenon lamps. It has been found that a single rapid photon treatment for 0.3 s (the radiation energy dose delivered to the sample is 10 J cm^–2) leads to a complete disordering of the solid solution at a rate 400 times higher than in that achieved under heat treatment conditions (heating rate of 15 K min^–1).