Modern resonant X-ray studies of alloys: Local order and displacements

The recent availability of intense synchrotron sources with selectable X-ray energies permits high-precision measurements of chemically specific atomic-pair correlations in solid-solution alloys. Short-range chemical order can be accurately measured to identify one atom in a 100 for 10 or more shells, even in alloys with elements nearby in the periodic table, and chemically specific static displacements can be measured with 0.0001 nm resolution. This new information tests theoretical models of alloy phase stability and structure and gives new insights into the physical properties of alloys.