Magnetic properties of heusler alloys Ni3−xMnxSn

Heusler alloys with composition corresponding to x = 1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.65, 1.8 and 1.9 have been prepared. The saturation magnetization and the paramagnetic moment show a maximum at x = 1.3. The manganese atoms are distributed over octahedral and tetrahedral sites with different magnetic moments (μ_ferro(oct.) = 4μ_B, μ_ferro(tetr.) = 0μ_B). Furthermore there is a certain degree of Mn/Sn disorder with Mn atoms on Sn-sites coupled antiferromagnetically to the Mn sublattice. Using a x_g versus 1/H plot, considerable temperature independent paramagnetism is found far below the Curie-temperature (80 K).     

Magnetic properties of GdxY1−xNi5 alloys

Magnetic measurements have been performed on single crystals of Yni₅ and GdNi₅ and on polycrystalline samples of Gd_xY_1?xNi₅. YNi₅ is a Pauli paramagnet, the susceptibility of which is enhanced by exchange and slightly temperature dependent (χ = 23 × 10^?4 emu/mole at 4.2 K). In GdNi₅, where the anisotropy is very weak, a polarization of the d band opposite to the Gd magnetization is observed. At 4.2 K, this polarization is 0.16 ± 0.02μ_B/Ni. The decrease of this polarisation with decreasing magnetic interactions has been studied in Gd_xY_1?xNi₅-type alloys. It is concluded that the polarization is more homogeneous than that of cobalt observed in Gd_xY_1?xCo₂.     

Magnetic properties of xNiO. (1-x)[2B2O3.PbO] glasses

The results of magnetic studies on xNiO.(1-x)[2B₂O₃.PbO] glasses with 0 ? x ? 40 mol.% are reported. These results evidenced that the nickel ions, in this glass system, are in a divalent state and magnetically isolated. The magnetic moments, μ, decrease from a value 3.31 μ_B for the 5 mol.% NiO to a value 2.90 μ_B for 40 mol.% NiO. These variations can be due to the result of a statistical average of the nickel sites distribution.     

Magnetic ordering above room temperature in the sigma-phase of Fe66V34

Magnetic properties of four sigma-phase Fe_100−xV_x samples with 34.4?x?55.1 were investigated by Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements in the temperature interval 4.2-300 K. Four magnetic quantities, viz. hyperfine field, Curie temperature, magnetic moment and susceptibility, were determined. The sample containing 34.4 at% V was revealed to exhibit the largest values found up to now for the sigma-phase for average hyperfine field, 〈B〉=12.1 T, average magnetic moment per Fe atom, 〈μ〉=0.89 μ_B, and Curie temperature, T_C=315.3 K. The quantities were shown to be strongly correlated with each other. In particular, T_C is linearly correlated with 〈μ〉 with a slope of 406.5 K/μ_B, as well as 〈B〉 is so correlated with 〈μ〉, yielding 14.3 T/μ_B for the hyperfine coupling constant.     

Structural and magnetic studies of the alloy system GdInxAg1-x

The structural and magnetic studies below room temperature of the alloy system GdIn_xAg_1-x(0?x?1) are reported. It has been found that alloys with x?0.5 crystallize in CsCl type cubic structure, but the distortion of the unit cell starts for alloys with x#62;0.5 and for these alloys the unit cell becomes tetragonal. No phase change is evident from the low temperature (295-8 K) structural studies. However, a break appears in the X^-1_m vs. T linear plot of each alloy of this system at a specific temperature (designated as break temperature T_B). The variation of T_B with x is similar to the variation of phase transition temperature with x reported for LaIn_xAg_1-x. Close agreement has been found in the values of effective magneton number (p), magnetic ordering [Néel (T_N) or Curie (T_C)] and paramagnetic Curie (θ_p) temperature for materials studied by us and earlier workers. The variation of magnetization with applied field strength (2.5-65)×10⁵ Am^-1) at 4.2 K has also been reported for ferromagnetic of this system. It has been concluded that alloys with 0.4?x?0.6 are simple ferromagnets with parallel alignment of magnetic moment in the ground state. The angular arrangement of the magnetic moment starts appearing in the ground state for alloys with x?0.4 for x#62;0.6 and continues till x becomes closure to 0.17 or 0.84. The alloys with x=0.17 or x=0.84 have θ_p and T_C equal to zero and appear paramagnetic. Angular arrangement in spins again appear for alloys with x?0.17 or x#62;0.84, however all materials with 0?x?0.17 or 0.84?x?1 remain antiferromagnetic.     

Magnetic order in palladium-based Heusler alloys Part I: Pd2MnIn1−xSnx and Pd2MnSn1−xSbx

Magnetization, susceptibility, X-ray and neutron diffraction measurements have been made on the two series of alloys Pd₂MnIn_1?xSn_x and Pd₂MnSn_1?xSb_x, for 0 ? x ? 1. All were single phase and were chemically ordered intermetallic compounds with the Heusler L2₁ structure in which the Mn atoms occupy an f.c.c. sub-lattice. At all compositions the alloys were magnetically ordered with a moment of ～4.3 μ_B located at the Mn sites. At the In-rich end the magnetic order is antiferromagnetic f.c.c. type 2. As Sn is increasingly substituted for In there is a change in magnetic order first to antiferromagnetic f.c.c. type 3A and then to ferromagnetism. All the alloys in the Sn/Sb series are ferromagnetic and in both series there is an increase in the ferromagnetic exchange interactions with increasing electron concentration.     

Enhancement of the colossal magnetoresistance in Eu1 − x Ca x B6

The transport and magnetic properties of single crystal samples of substitutional solid solutions Eu_{1 ? x} Ca _x B₆ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.26) have been studied at temperatures 1.8–300 K in magnetic fields up to 80 kOe. It has been shown that an increase in the calcium concentration results in the suppression of the charge transport accompanied by an increase in the amplitude of the colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) up to the value (ρ(0) ? ρ(H))/ρ(H) ≈ 7 × 10⁵ detected for x = 0.26 at liquid-helium temperature in a field of 80 kOe. The transition from the hole-like conductivity to the electron-like conductivity has been observed in the Eu_0.74Ca_0.26B₆ solid solution in the CMR regime at T < 40 K. The Hall mobility values μH = 200?350 cm²/(V s) estimated for charge carriers in the strongly disordered matrix of the Eu_0.74Ca_0.26B₆ solid solution are comparable with the charge carrier mobility μH = 400?600 cm²/(V s) for the undoped EuB₆ compound. The anomalous behavior of the transport and magnetic parameters of the Eu_{1 ? x} Ca _x B₆ solid solutions is discussed in terms of a metal-insulator transition predicted within the double exchange model for this system with low carrier density.     

La solution solide Cr1−xRhxO2

A new solid solution Cr_1?x,Rh_xO₂ (0?x?1) has been prepared using oxidizing acids or ammonium perchlorate under pressure. The magnetic study suggests that chromium (IV) and rhodium (IV) are present in the structure at x ? 0.2 and chromium (V) and rhodium (III) at 0.2 < x ? 0.5. Forx > 0.5 increasing rhodium (IV) content gives rise to properties similar to those of RhO₂.     

Effect of carbon substitution on the specific heat of Fe80B20−xCx (0≤x≤8)

The specific heat of ferromagnetic metallic glasses Fe₈₀B_20?xC_x (0≤x≤8) has been measured in the temperature range between 1.5 and 10 K. It is found that the electronic specific heat coefficient is independent of the carbon concentration x. The Debye temperature has a broad peak around x = 4. Both these results are in sharp contrast to the case of FeB binary metallic glasses and could be qualitatively understood in terms of magnetic and structural properties.     

Low temperature resistivities of FexNi80-xP14B6 metallic glasses

The resistivities of six Fe_xNi_80-xP₁₄B₆ alloys have been measured between 1.5 and 50 K. It is found that the resistivity variations both below and above the resistivity minima depend on the transition metal composition. The room temperature coefficients of the resistivity indicate the existence of the magnetic contribution to the resistivity.     

Stoner excitations in the strong itinerant amorphous ferromagnets FexNi80−xB18Si2 and Fe80B20

Accurate measurements of the static magnetization of the amorphous ferromagnets Fe_xNi_80?xB₁₈Si₂ (x = 15, 20, 40, 60%) and Fe₈₀B₂₀ are reported. The results are analyzed in terms of spin-wave and Stoner excitations, and the latter indicate strong itinerant ferromagnetism with a Stoner gap Δ varying between 20 and 60 K. The other fitting parameters give values of the spin-wave stiffness and a quantity simply related to the saturation magnetization. The well-known anomaly regarding the spin-wave stiffness observed in earlier measurements in thus explained quantitatively.     

On the magnetic properties of Y(FexCo1-x)2 compounds

The composition dependence of the mean magnetic moment of cobalt atoms in Y(Fe_xCo_1-x)₂ compounds is analysed in the local environment model. Cobalt has a magnetic moment of 1.56 μ_B if there are at least two Fe atoms as nearest neighbours. The maximum in the composition dependence of the transition metal moments is due to the magnetic contributions of iron atoms only. The thermal variation of reciprocal susceptibility obeys a Curie-Weiss behaviour, in addition to the Pauli paramagnetic term. Finally, the influence of the variable magnetic interactions on the transition metal moments is discussed.     

Transport properties of n-type ferromagnetic semiconductor HgCr2−xInxSe4(x = 0.100)

Measurements of the electrical conductivity, magnetoresistance, and Hall effect were performed on a n-type ferromagnetic semiconductor HgCr_2?xIn_xSe₄(x = 0.100) single crystal from 6.3 to 296 K in magnetic fields up to 1.19×l0⁶A/m. The conductivity decreases rapidly near the Curie temperatureT_c (≈120 K) as the temperature is raised. A large peak in the magnetoresistance is observed near T_c. The Hall effect measurements indicate that the temperature dependence of the conductivity and the magnetoresistance are due mostly to a change in electron mobility. The electron mobility is 1.2 × 10^?2 m²/V · s at 6.3 K, and decreases rapidly near T_c with the rise in temperature. Then it increases slowly from 5.5 × 10^?4 m²/V · s at 160 K to 7.5 × 10^?4 m²/V · s at 241 K. This temperature dependence of the electron mobility can be explained in terms of the spin-disorder scattering which takes into account the exchange interaction between charge carriers and localized magnetic moments.     

Observation by mössbauer spectroscopy of electron hoppings in the spinel series Zn1-xGexFe2O4

The Mössbauer spectra of the spinel series Zn_1-xGe_xFe₂O₄ with x = 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 are observed between 77 and 623 K. In the detection limit of the Mössbauer spectrometry, the ferrous and ferric ions are all found on the B sites and the broadening of the spectra between the Curie point and 623 K is correlated with an electron hopping process via a conduction band. This process favors a “double exchange” which can explain the magnetic order in the compounds with x = 0.25 and x = 0.5 below 200 and 250 K.     

Magnetic properties of TmxDy1−xFeO3 single crystals

The magnetic behaviour of Tm_xDy_1?xFeO₃ (x = 0.3; 0.5; 0.7; 1.0) single crystals in the temperature range 90-4.2° K were investigated. The transition from the weak ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic state was observed at about 9° K for Tm_0.3Dy_0.7FeO₃ single crystal. The reorientation of weak ferromagnetic moment from c- to a-axis was observed for Tm_0.7Dy_0.3FeO₃ single crystal at 35–65° K. The magnetic structure change of iron and rare-earth ions took place when external magnetic field was applied. The thulium and disprosium ion interaction does not essentially influence on the single crystal magnetic properties of the substituted compounds in a low temperature range.     

Structure and magnetic order of Cr-rich Rb2Cr1-xMnxCl4 crystals

The distorted K₂NiF₄-structure and the magnetic behaviour of the quasi two-dimensional magnetic system Rb₂Cr_1-xMn_xCl₄ (0 ? x ? 0.5) are studied by neutron diffraction and magnetic measurements. Strong correlations between ferromagnetic coupling and cooperative Jahn—Teller order are indicated by their occurence in the same concentration range 0 ? x ? 0.41.The percolation threshold x_F near x = 0.41 and the x, T-dependence of the para- to ferro-magnetic phase boundary are quite similar to that found in systems with non-magnetic impurities. Further we report the magnetic moment magnitudes in this percolative system.     

Magnetic phase transitions and structures of Co3V 2O8

Co₃V ₂O₈ is a spin- 3/2 system on a Kagomé staircase and is known to undergo two magnetic phase transitions between 6 and 11 K. The H-T phase diagram of Co₃V ₂O₈ derived by magnetization measurements on a single crystal is presented. Additionally both ordered magnetic structures were investigated by neutron powder diffraction experiments and solved using Bertaut’s macroscopic theory. For the ferromagnetic phase the magnetic moments of the Co²⁺ ions were found to be 1.5(3)μ_B and 2.7(1)μ_B at 3.5 K along the crystallographic a axis for the (4a) and (8e) sites, respectively. The antiferromagnetic phase exhibits a magnetic cell with a doubled b axis with respect to the nuclear one. The magnetic moments point along the a axis being 1.8(2)μ_B (4a) and 1.8(1)μ_B (8e) at 8 K.     

Magnetic properties of ErxY1−xF3 solid solutions

The Er_xY_1−xF₃ (x=0.1, 0.2, 0.7, 0.9, 1) solid solutions were synthesized and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and magnetic measurements. The crystal structure refinements done by the Rietveld profile method show that no significant change of the structure parameters with the erbium concentration occurs. On the basis of DC susceptibility measurements in the 2-300 K range the lowest four crystal field levels have been determined, giving the ground level magnetic moment value of 6.7 μ_B. Results of M(H) studies point to the presence of complex exchange interactions between erbium ions.     

Microstructure and magnetocaloric effect in cast LaFe11.5Si1.5Bx (x=0.5, 1.0)

Phase formation, structure, and the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in as-cast LaFe_11.5Si_1.5B_x (x=0.5, 1.0) compounds have been studied. The Curie temperatures, T_C, are ∼211 and 230 K for x=0.5 and 1.0, respectively, which are higher than that of annealed LaFe_11.5Si_1.5 (T_C=183 K), while the maximum magnetic entropy changes at the respective T_C under a magnetic field change of 0-5 T are 7.8 and 5.8 J/(kg K). Wavelength dispersive spectrometry (WDS) analysis shows that only a small fraction of boron atoms is dissolved in the NaZn₁₃-type structure phase, and that the compositions of the as-cast LaFe_11.5Si_1.5B_x (x=0.5, 1.0) alloys are much different from the intended nominal compositions. These as-cast alloys exhibit second-order magnetic phase transitions and low MCEs. However, based on the relative cooling power, the as-cast LaFe_11.5Si_1.5B_x alloys are promising candidates for magnetic refrigerants over a wide temperature range.     

On the mixed valence of the chromium ions in the noncollinear ferrimagnetic spinels Mn1−xCuxCr2S4 (Where x = 0.85, 0.90, 0.95)

For the polycrystalline samples of Mn_1?xCu_xCr₂S₄ (x = 0.85, 0.90, 0.95) the magnetization was measured in the temperature range between 77 K and the Curie temperature, T_C, using a magnetic balance (Faraday's method) and pulsed magnetic fields up to 2.0 T. The magnetic susceptibility was measured between T_C and about 600 K. The Curie temperatures were obtained using the kink point method.In the temperature range between 4.2 and 77 K the magnetization was measured in stationary magnetic fields up to 14 T. The data indicate a noncollinear ferrimagnetic structure. The compounds under investigation can be treated as CuCr₂S₄ slightly doped with Mn, with a valence distribution Mn²⁺_1?xCu¹⁺_xCr³⁺_2?xCr⁴⁺_xS^2?₄.