Anelastic to plastic transition in metallic glass-forming liquids.

The configurational properties associated with the transition from anelasticity to plasticity in a transiently deforming metallic glass-forming liquid are studied. The data reveal that the underlying transition kinetics for flow can be separated into reversible and irreversible configurational hopping across the liquid energy landscape, identified with beta and alpha relaxation processes, respectively. A critical stress characterizing the transition is recognized as an effective Eshelby "backstress," revealing a link between the apparent anelasticity and the "confinement stress" of the elastic matrix surrounding the plastic core of a shear transformation zone.