  Understanding the formation of bulk metallic glasses (BMG) in metallic
systems and finding a reliable criterion for selection of BMG compositions are
among the most important issues in condensed matter physics and material
science. Using the results of magnetic susceptibility measurements performed on
both amorphous and crystallized Cu-Hf alloys (30-70 at% Cu) we find a
correlation between the difference in magnetic susceptibilities of
corresponding glassy and crystalline alloys and the variation in the glass
forming ability (GFA) in these alloys. Since the same correlation can be
inferred from data for the properties associated with the electronic structure
of Cu-Zr alloys, it seems quite general and may apply to other glassy alloys
based on early and late transition metals. This correlation is plausible from
the free energy considerations and provides a simple way to select the
compositions with high GFA.
