Multielement solid solution alloys are intrinsically disordered on the atomic scale, and many of their advanced properties originate from the local structural characteristics. The local structure of a NiCoCr solid solution alloy is measured with x-ray or neutron total scattering and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) techniques. The atomic pair distribution function analysis does not exhibit an observable structural distortion. However, an EXAFS analysis suggests that the Cr atoms are favorably bonded with Ni and Co in the solid solution alloys. This short-range order (SRO) may make an important contribution to the low values of the electrical and thermal conductivities of the Cr-alloyed solid solutions. In addition, an EXAFS analysis of Ni ion irradiated samples reveals that the degree of SRO in NiCoCr alloys is enhanced after irradiation.

Swift xenon ions (1.43 GeV) were used to systematically investigate the radiation response of pyrochlores in the ${\text{Gd}}_2{\text{Zr}}_{2-x}{\text{Ti}}_x{\text{O}}_7$ binary in the electronic energy loss regime. Ion-induced structural modifications were characterized by synchrotron x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The structure of ion tracks depends on the pyrochlore composition, and the damage cross section increases with the Ti content. In general, single ion tracks consist of an amorphous track core, surrounded by a crystalline, but disordered, defect-fluorite-structured shell. That is in turn surrounded by a defect-rich pyrochlore region. The decrease in the size of these different track zones, with increasing Zr content, is a result of the enhanced radiation stability of Zr-rich pyrochlore within individual swift heavy ion tracks.