Half-metallic ferromagnets. I. Structure and magnetic properties of NiMnSb and related inter-metallic compounds

Abstract

The authors present investigations of the crystal structure the microstructure and the magnetic properties of the inter-metallic compounds XMnSb (X=Pt, Ni, Co, Au, Cu) and PtMnSn. It was found that several of these materials contain precipitates of other phases and/or large atomic disorder, which can be influenced by heat treatment. The magnetic properties show an effective paramagnetic moment which differs from the value corresponding to the saturation moment at 0 K. This effect is attributed to a decrease of the conduction electron spin polarisation at high temperature.