Vacancy activation enthalpies of AuFe alloys determined from SRO-induced resistivity changes

The kinetics of atomic short-range ordering (SRO) in Au-14-at.% Fe were investigated by measuring residual resistivity after up-quenching and down-quenching over a suitable temperature interval, thus inducing different initial vacancy concentrations and vacancy mobilities. In addition, resistivity variations of Au-5-, 10-, 14- and 20-at.% Fe were measured during isochronal annealing of mechanically deformed and recrystallised samples. By assuming a certain model for SRO relaxation kinetics, migration and formation enthalpies of vacancies as well as vacancy sink densities (dislocation densities) were determined from experimental results. The parameters determined in this way correspond well with each other and with literature data.