Although the accepted Ni-W phase diagram does not reveal the existence of h.c.p.-based phases, h.c.p.-like stacking sequences were observed in magnetron-co-sputtered Ni-W thin films at W contents of 20 to 25 at. %, by using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The occurrence of this h.c.p.-like solid-solution phase could be rationalized by first-principles calculations, showing that the vicinity of the system's ground-state line is populated with metastable h.c.p.-based superstructures in the intermediate concentration range from 20 to 50 at. % W. The h.c.p.-like stacking in Ni-W films was observed to be thermally persistent, up to temperatures as high as at least 850 K, as evidenced by extensive X-ray diffraction analyses on specimens before and after annealing treatments. The tendency of Ni-W for excessive planar faulting is discussed in the light of these new findings.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.