Rigidity Constraints in Amorphization of Multiply-Polytopic Multiply-Connected Ceramic Structures

Abstract

AbstractThe ease with which ceramic structures amorphize under displacive radiation is considered from the point of view of connectivity and the consequent topological constraints which impose rigidity on the original atomic arrangement. These constraints define a measure of topological freedom to rearrange which has been shown previously to correlate with measured energy deposition density during ion-induced amorphization. That earlier assessment of topological freedoms is extended here to include more complex connectivities and is shown to be representable in an analytical form which reflects the progressive destruction of topological constraints.