ABSTRACT
Structural relaxation is important because in principle any property of the amor-'hous phase may be affected . One of the most basic propertie of a structure is ts density. Structural relaxation of an amorphous alloy causes density changes of ypically less than - 0.5%. Yet the property of viscosity, which is very closely related o density, can in the same relaxation change by five orders of magnitude. Properties ,f direct techno logical relevance, such as fracture strain and magnetostriction . are .ffected also , and control of structural relaxation may be important not only in 1ptimizing the property for a particular application but also in maintaining the 1roperty through the life of the component. Knowledge of atomic transport proesses is important in understanding structural stability both to relaxation and to rystallization (the reversion of amorphous alloys to the crystalline state being .!ways thermodynamically preferred) . Furthermore, some properties of amorphous .lloys, for example their creep behavior and th ir ability to act as diffusion barriers, .re directly related to atomic transport.
