Magnetostriction in the vicinity of structural transitions in Ni2MnGa

Abstract

We report parallel and perpendicular magnetostriction measurements performed in polycrystalline Ni2MnGa to shed light on the magnetoelastic coupling, responsible for the ordinary magnetostriction, and giant magnetic field-induced strains (MFIS). Parallel magnetostriction is negative while its perpendicular component switches from positive to negative at the martensitic transformation. The saturation magnetostriction is negative, takes moderate values and has a large increase in absolute value at both pre- and martensitic temperatures, arising from the lattice softening at the transitions. The reported values are those of the true magnetostriction and can be a starting point for further studies of MFIS.