Large magnetoresistance in a directionally solidified Ni44.5Co5.1Mn37.1In13.3 magnetic shape memory alloy

Polycrystalline Ni44.5Co5.1Mn37.1In13.3 alloy with coarse columnar-shaped grains and 〈0 0 1〉A preferred orientation was prepared by directional solidification. Due to the strong magnetostructural coupling, inverse martensitic transformation can be induced by the magnetic field, resulting in large negative magnetoresistance up to −58% under the field of 3 T. Such significant field controlled functional behaviors should be attributed to the coarse grains and strong preferred orientation in the directionally solidified alloy.