Structure, Curie temperature, and magnetostriction of SmZn1−xMnx alloys

Abstract

The structure, Curie temperature, and magnetostriction of SmZn1−xMnx polycrystalline crystals were investigated by x-ray diffraction, vibrating-sample magnetometer, and standard strain gauge techniques. It is found that SmZn1−xMnx alloys are nearly a single Sm(Zn,Mn) phase with the CsCl-type cubic structure up to x=0.2. The Curie temperature of SmZn1−xMnx alloys quickly increases with increasing Mn when x⩽0.05 and gradually does in the range of 0.05<x⩽0.2. The substitution of Mn for Zn in the SmZn compound has a marked effect on improving the Curie temperature and makes it reach 255K when x=0.2. The magnetization of SmZn1−xMnx alloys increases with increasing Mn content in the range of 0<x⩽0.2 and the magnetostriction increases in the range of 0<x⩽0.15.