ON THE THEORY OF DIFFUSION IN AMORPHOUS METALS

Diffusion in solids with random activation energy of individual jumps is analyzed. The experimentally observed relation between the activation energies of diffusion for metal glasses and for the corresponding crystals is explained under reasonable assumptions. The activation energy is shown to be not the most probable buth rather close to the minimum allowed (by the percolation mechanism) activation energy of individual jumps. For an interstitial solute the activation energy parametrically depends on the mean solute concentration. The expression for the diffusion coefficient is obtained. The short-range diffusion is also considered.