Monte Carlo study of the magnetic properties of Fe0.9−qMn0.1Alq-disordered alloys

Abstract

Within the framework of a random site-diluted Ising model with nearest-neighbor interactions, and using the Metropolis algorithm for equilibration and energy minimization, we have computed the ensemble and configurational averages for magnetization per site, magnetic susceptibility and specific heat of Fe 0.9− q Mn 0.1 Al q -disordered alloys with 0.1⩽ q ⩽0.55. In the model, atoms have been randomly distributed on a body-centered cubic lattice in order to simulate the disorder and structure as that obtained in arc-melted Fe 0.9− q Mn 0.1 Al q alloys treated at high temperatures during long periods of time and followed by fast quenching. Competitive interactions coming from Fe–Fe ferromagnetic bonds and Fe–Mn and Mn–Mn antiferromagnetic couplings, as well as the Al dilutor effect, have been taken into account in our study. Results allow us to conclude that, in agreement with previous Mössbauer data of the average hyperfine field, for which a comparison is also carried out, the Fe 0.9− q Mn 0.1 Al q -disordered alloys are well characterized by a critical concentration at room temperature at around 40 at% Al, for which the system undergoes a transition from a ferromagnetic state to a paramagnetic one. The finite size scaling analysis to obtain the critical Al concentration in the thermodynamic limit, as well as the critical exponents, is also presented and discussed.