Laser Shock Compression Studies of Phase Changes in Ce$_{\mathrm{3}}$Al Metallic Glass

Laser shock-compression of Ce$_{\mathrm{3}}$Al metallic glass (MG) was performed to probe pressure-induced phase transitions. Ce$_{\mathrm{3}}$Al MG has been previously shown to crystallize into a single crystal FCC phase during static compression at 25 GPa. In the present work, experiments were performed using the 3J Nd:YAG pulse laser at Georgia Tech and the high energy laser at the OMEGA facility. Characterization of shock compressed samples recovered from the OMEGA laser experiments were performed using XRD and PDF measurements at the NSLS-2 synchrotron at Brookhaven National Lab. The results showed evidence of a permanent polyamorphous phase change at pressures \textgreater \textasciitilde 10 GPa and crystallization at pressures \textgreater \textasciitilde 75 GPa. Particle velocities were measured using VISAR in experiments performed at Georgia Tech and simulated using Hyades and Abaqus to create an empirical equation of state and correlate with results obtained from XRD and PDF characterization. The results attained to-date in terms of the evolution of the high pressure amorphous and crystalline phases and their correlations with the shock conditions will be presented.