The influence of laser annealing on the crystallization processes in amorphous Co-rich alloys

Crystallization of Co-rich amorphous alloys via thermal and laser annealing has been studied using X-ray diffraction and high resolution electron microscopy techniques. It has been found that microstructural properties of the resulting alloys can differ significantly for the two thermal treatments depending on their Co content. Co₇₈Fe₂Mn₂Si₉B₉, Co₇₂Fe₈B₂₀ and Co₅₀Fe₂₈Si₁₀B₁₂ amorphous alloys have been studied and only Co₇₂Fe₈B₂₀ has shown very different crystallization processes after thermal and laser annealing. The results of comparative analysis of the influence of laser and thermal annealing on optical and structural properties of the samples are discussed.