| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1611456 | Journal of Alloys and Compounds | 2014 | 4 Pages |
•Curie temperature versus e/a dependence shows broad maximum in NiMnSn alloys.•Magnetic moment versus e/a < 7.75 dependence was determined.•The localized magnetic moment model is compatible with the magnetic moment evolution.•The values of the magnetic moments indicate an almost full atomic order.
The low electron concentration region (e/a < 7.75) of the magnetic phase diagram of the off-stoichiometric Ni–Mn–Sn Heusler alloys was investigated in detail by DSC and magnetization measurements of the Ni40+xMn39−xSn21(x = 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 at.%) alloys. The alloys show a stable austenitic phase without any martensitic transformation down to 5 K even after heat treatment. The Curie temperature exhibits a broad maximum over a large composition range. The evolution of the magnetic moment with the electron concentration fits the data of previous studies and confirms the peak-like dependence in the extended range of e/a values predicted by ab initio calculations. The explored part of the moment versus e/a curve can be explained in terms of a localized magnetic moment model and full atomic order in the alloys.
