Magnetic and neutron diffraction study on Ni2In type (Mn1−xPdx)2Ga

Abstract

Pseudobinary intermetallic compounds (Mn1−xPdx)2Ga of Ni2In type structure are found in the range of 0.3≦x<0.6. This article describes the results of investigations of the crystal and magnetic properties of the phase with x-ray and neutron diffraction, as well as magneto metric methods. The neutron diffraction study for x=0.4 proved that in the Ni2In type crystal structure, the 2(a) site is occupied by Mn atoms, the 2(d) site by Pd and residual Mn atoms, and the 2(c) site is occupied by Ga atoms. (Mn1−xPdx)2Ga compounds exhibit a ferromagnetic nature characterized by TC, and in the temperature below TN, antiferromagnetic components originating from canted spin structure in 2(a) structures in the 2(a) site. It is similar to canted spin structures of CoMnSn. The existence of a small concave region in the magnetization–temperature dependence curve is discussed in terms of the canting of spins in the 2(a) site.