Observation of η-Al ₄₁ Sm ₅ reveals motif-aware structural evolution in Al-Sm alloys

Using an effective genetic algorithm, we uncover the structure of a metastable Al ₄₁ Sm ₅ phase that supplements its family sharing similar short-range orders. The phase evolves upon heating an amorphous Al-9.7 at.% Sm ribbon, produced by melt-spinning. The dynamical phase selection is discussed with respect to the structural connections between the short-range packing motifs in the amorphous precursor and those observed in the selected phases. The phase elucidated here is one of several newly discovered large-unit-cell phases found to form during devitrification from the glass in this binary system, further illustrating the power and efficiency of our approach, the important role of structural hierarchy in phase selection, and the richness of the metastable phase landscape accessible from the glassy structure.