Magnetoconduction in the Correlated Semiconductor FeSi in Ultrastrong Magnetic Fields up to a Semiconductor-to-Metal Transition.

Magnetoresistance of the correlated narrow-gap semiconductor FeSi was investigated by the radio frequency self-resonant spiral coil technique in magnetic fields up to 500 T, which is supplied by an electromagnetic flux compression megagauss generator. Semiconductor-to-metal transition accomplishes around 270 T observed as a sharp kink in the magnetoresistance, which implies the closing of the hybridization gap by the Zeeman shift of band edges. In the temperature-magnetic field phase diagram, the semiconductor-metal transition field is found to be almost independent of temperature, which is in contrast to a characteristic magnetic field associated with the hopping magnetoconduction in the in-gap localized states, exhibiting a notable temperature dependence.

A polarized neutron study of the magnetization distribution in Co2FeSi.

The magnetization distribution in Co2FeSi which has the largest moment per formula unit ∼6 µB of all Heusler alloys, has been determined using polarized neutron diffraction. The experimentally determined magnetization has been integrated over spheres centred on the three sites of the L12 structure giving µ Fe = 3.10(3) µB and µ Co = 1.43(2) µB, results which are slightly lower than the moments in atomic spheres of similar radii obtained in recent LDA + U band structure calculations (Li et al 2010 Chin. Phys. B 19 097102). Approximately 50% of the magnetic carriers at the Fe sites were found to be in orbitals with eg symmetry. This was higher, ≃65%, at the Co sites. Both Fe and Co were found to have orbital moments that are larger than those predicted. Comparison with similar results obtained for related alloys suggests that there must be a finite density of states in both spin bands at the Fermi energy indicating that Co2FeSi is not a perfect half-metallic ferromagnet.

The field and temperature dependence of the magnetic and structural properties of the shape memory compound Ni(1.84)Mn(1.64)In(0.52).

Magnetization and high resolution neutron powder diffraction measurements have been made on the magnetic shape memory alloy Ni(1.84)Mn(1.64)In(0.52). The compound undergoes a broad structural phase transition, which on heating starts at ∼150 K and finishes at ∼215 K. On cooling there is a ∼20 K hysteresis. The high temperature parent phase is cubic (a = 5.988 Å) with the L2(1) structure in which the excess Mn atoms occupy the vacancies on the Ni and In sites. The magnetic moment is located mainly on the Mn atoms with the same magnitude on both the 4a (Mn) and 4b (In) sites. The low temperature martensite is monoclinic with parameters a = 4.405(2), b = 5.553(2), c = 12.950(2) Å, ß = 86.47(10)° and space group P2/m. The magnetic properties of the martensitic phase are complex and indicate metamagnetic behaviour.

Determination of the magnetic ground state in the martensite phase of Ni-Mn-Z (Z = In, Sn and Sb) off-stoichiometric Heusler alloys by nonlinear AC susceptibility.

DC and AC magnetic measurements were carried out to clarify the difference in the magnetic ground state depending on the kinds of Z element used in the martensite phase in Ni-Mn-Z (Z = In, Sn and Sb) off-stoichiometric Heusler alloys. Magnetic field cooling effects were observed in the DC thermomagnetization curves in the low temperature regions, and a frequency dependence on AC susceptibility was also observed in both real and imaginary parts of the susceptibility. Negative divergence was clearly observed in nonlinear AC susceptibility only for the Ni(50)Mn(40)Sb(10) alloy, suggesting that the magnetic feature of its ground state is the spin-glass state. The magnetic ground state of the martensite phase in these alloys would relate to the magnetic configuration of the Mn atoms in the ferromagnetic austenite phase.

Role of electronic structure in the martensitic phase transition of Ni2Mn(1+x)Sn(1-x) studied by hard-X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Ab initio calculation.

We have revealed the underlying mechanism of the martensitic phase transition (MPT) in a new class of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, Ni2Mn1+xSn1-x, by the combination of bulk-sensitive hard-x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a first-principles density-functional calculation. The Ni 3d e{g} state in the cubic phase systematically shifts towards the Fermi energy with an increase in the number of Mn atoms substituted in the Sn sites. An abrupt decrease of the intensity of the Ni 3d e{g} states upon MPT for x=0.36-0.42 has been observed in the vicinity of the Fermi level. The energy shift of the Ni 3d minority-spin e{g} state in the cubic phase originates from hybridization with the antiferromagnetically coupled Mn in the Sn site. Below the MPT temperature, the Ni 3d state splits into two levels located below and above the Fermi energy in order to achieve an energetically stable state.

Magnetic and structural properties of the magnetic shape memory compound Ni(2)Mn(1.48)Sb(0.52).

Magnetization and high resolution neutron powder diffraction measurements on the magnetic shape memory compound Ni(2)Mn(1.48)Sb(0.52) have confirmed that it is ferromagnetic below 350 K and undergoes a structural phase transition at T(M)≈310 K. The high temperature phase has the cubic L2(1) structure with a = 5.958 Å, with the excess manganese atoms occupying the 4(b) Sb sites. In the cubic phase above ≈310 K the manganese moments are ferromagnetically aligned. The magnetic moment at the 4(a) site is 1.57(12) µ(B) and it is almost zero (0.15(9) µ(B)) at the 4(b) site. The low temperature orthorhombic phase which is only fully established below 50 K has the space group Pmma with a cell related to the cubic one by a Bain transformation a(orth) = (a(cub) + b(cub))/2; b(orth) = c(cub) and c(orth) = (a(cub) - b(cub)). The change in cell volume is ≈2.5%. The spontaneous magnetization of samples cooled in fields less than 0.5 T decreases at temperatures below T(M) and at 2 K the magnetic moment per formula unit in fields up to 5.5 T is 2.01(5) µ(B). Neutron diffraction patterns obtained below ≈132 K gave evidence for a weak incommensurate magnetic modulation with propagation vector (2/3, 1/3, 0).

Atomic order and magnetization distribution in the half metallic and nearly half metallic C1(b) compounds NiMnSb and PdMnSb.

Polarized neutron diffraction has been used to study the magnetization distribution in two isostructural inter-metallic compounds NiMnSb and PdMnSb. Band structure calculations have predicted that whereas the former should be a half metallic ferromagnet the latter should not. Measurements made at 5 K on different crystals show that disorder can occur between the A (Mn) and B (Sb) sites in both alloys and in the case of NiMnSb, by partial occupation of the void D sites by Ni. In all the crystals most of the moment was found on the Mn atoms in the A sites; in NiMnSb it is due to spin only but in PdMnSb there is evidence for a significant orbital contribution (g = 2.22). The magnitudes of the moments associated with each atom are in fair agreement with the theoretical values; however, the distribution of magnetization around the Mn atoms is found to have nearly spherical symmetry (40% e(g)) rather than the 50% e(g) character expected from the band structure.

Atomic and magnetic order in the shape memory alloy Mn2NiGa.

Magnetization and high resolution neutron powder diffraction measurements on the magnetic shape memory alloy Mn(2)NiGa have confirmed that it is ferromagnetic with a Curie temperature above 500 K. The compound undergoes a broad structural phase transformation ΔT ∼ 90 K with a mean transition temperature T(M) ∼ 270 K. The high temperature parent phase is cubic (a = 5.937 Å) and has a modified L 2(1) structure. At 500 K the ordered magnetic moment essentially all on the 4a site is 1.35 µ(B)/Mn. The low temperature martensite has space group I4/mmm and is related to the cubic phase through a Bain transformation a(tet) = (a(cub) + b(cub))/2, b(tet) = (a(cub) - b(cub)) and c(tet) = c(cub) in which the change in cell volume is < 2.6%. In this structure at 5 K the ordered moment of ≈2.3 µ(B) is again found to be confined to the sites with full Mn occupation and is aligned parallel to c. Neutron diffraction patterns obtained at 5 K suggested the presence of a weak incommensurate antiferromagnetic phase characterized by either a ((1/3)0(1/3)) or (00(1/3)) propagation vector.

Magnetic anisotropy in Ni-Fe-Ga-Co ferromagnetic shape memory alloys in the single-variant state.

The effects of the addition of Co on the magnetic anisotropy in Ni(55-x)Fe(18)Ga(27)Co(x) (x = 1-6) single-variant ferromagnetic shape memory alloys have been investigated. By the addition of Co from 1 to 6 at.%, the Curie temperature T(C) is increased from 318 to 405 K, keeping the martensitic transformation temperatures above room temperature. As a result, the value of the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy constant |K(u)| at 300 K increases with increasing x of the Co concentration and the martensite phase of Ni(49)Fe(18)Ga(27)Co(6) exhibits a relatively high value of |K(u)| = 1.15 × 10(5) J m(-3) at 300 K. With increasing Co concentration, on the other hand, the c axis changes from the magnetic easy axis to the hard axis at 4.2 K, that is, the sign of K(u) is reversed from positive to negative between 2 and 3 at.% Co. Furthermore, K(u) in Ni(53)Fe(18)Ga(27)Co(2) is positive below 100 K and negative above 100 K up to T(C), reducing the magnetic anisotropy around 200 K. From the present results, it is evident that the magnetic anisotropy of Ni(55-x)Fe(18)Ga(27)Co(x) (x = 1-6) single-variant ferromagnetic shape memory alloys is very sensitive to Co concentration and also temperature.

Magnetic-field-induced shape recovery by reverse phase transformation.

Large magnetic-field-induced strains have been observed in Heusler alloys with a body-centred cubic ordered structure and have been explained by the rearrangement of martensite structural variants due to an external magnetic field. These materials have attracted considerable attention as potential magnetic actuator materials. Here we report the magnetic-field-induced shape recovery of a compressively deformed NiCoMnIn alloy. Stresses of over 100 MPa are generated in the material on the application of a magnetic field of 70 kOe; such stress levels are approximately 50 times larger than that generated in a previous ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy. We observed 3 per cent deformation and almost full recovery of the original shape of the alloy. We attribute this deformation behaviour to a reverse transformation from the antiferromagnetic (or paramagnetic) martensitic to the ferromagnetic parent phase at 298 K in the Ni45Co5Mn36.7In13.3 single crystal.