Studies on icosahedral Ag–In–Yb: a prototype for Tsai-type quasicrystals

Abstract

Tsai-type icosahedral quasicrystals (i-QCs) are present in numerous alloy systems. Among them, the icosahedral Ag–In–Yb quasicrystal (i-Ag–In–Yb) is regarded as a prototype for studying various features of QCs, such as crystalline structure and physical properties, due to its good average structural order, good stability both in air and in ultra-high vacuum, amenability to growth of large single grains, and lack of elements with high vapor pressure or toxicity. Here we present a review on recent studies of i-Ag–In–Yb, including studies on bulk structure, crystal growth, physical properties, surface structure and thin film growth on quasicrystalline surface. We believe the results will encourage studies on other QCs.