Anomalous deformation mode transition in amorphous Mg-Zn-Ca thin films

Abstract Deformation mode transition (DMT) from highly-localized to non-localized in amorphous alloy thin films (AATFs) was expected to depend on the homologous temperature. Here, DMT in Mg-Zn-Ca AATF with high homologous temperature but intrinsic brittleness was monitored during film/substrate co-bending, and its critical size for DMT is much low compared to other compositions. Intrinsically brittle nature of Mg-based AATF that facilitates the shear band to unstable crack transition may be responsible for unexpected low critical size despite of high homologous temperature.