Atomic and magnetic structure of the Heusler alloys Ni2MnSb, Ni2MnSn, and Co2MnSn

Abstract

Saturation magnetization, X-ray and neutron diffraction measurements were made on ferromagnetic alloys in the compositions Ni2MnSb, Ni2MnSn, and Co2MnSn. The compounds investigated have a crystallo-chemical structure of L21 type, with a partial disorder among NiSb atoms in the case of Ni2MnSb and Ni(Co)‒Mn atoms in that of Ni2MnSn and Co2MnSn. It was also found that in Heusler alloys the Ni atoms have zero magnetic moment, but the Co atom has a magnetic moment different from zero. The values of the magnetic moment of Mn and Co atoms were also calculated at 80 °K and found to be μMn = 3.60 to 3.75 μB, μCo = 0.7 μB.