Elastic and anelastic behavior of Zr₅₅Al₁₀Ni₅Cu₃₀ bulk metallic glass around the glass transition temperature under ultrasonic excitation

Elastic and anelastic properties of Zr₅₅Al₁₀Ni₅Cu₃₀ bulk glass have been investigated at high temperatures with the electromagnetic acoustic resonance technique within the frequency range of 300-1500 kHz. The elastic constants of as-cast sample decrease monotonically up to the glass transition temperature T_g and jump up just above T_g, but such jumps disappear in the cooling and subsequent heating processes. This indicates that an irreversible structural stabilization occurs at T_g under ultrasound vibration. As for ultrasonic attenuation, prominent peaks appear at T_g in the first heating process. These attenuation peaks can be attributed to the atom movements in the initial glassy state.