Systematic study of magnetic properties in Zn-based Tsai-type icosahedral quasicrystals and their approximant

Abstract

We have investigated the magnetic properties of Zn-based Tsai-type icosahedral quasicrystals (i-QCs) and their approximants by measuring the field-and temperature-dependence of magnetization. The quasicrystals are formed by an addition of the third element M (M = Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Pd, Ag, Pt or Au) to a Zn17Sc3 1/1 cubic approximant crystal. The remarkable feature of the Zn–M–Sc series is a variety of the additional M elements ranging from light metal Mg and 3d transition metals to noble metals. The experimental results obviously show that the i-QCs containing 3d transition metals (M = Mn, Fe, Co or Ni) have the local magnetic moment formation. We also confirmed appearance of Curie-Weiss paramagnetism for a Zn82Fe3Sc15 1/1 cubic approximant crystal. The present results indicate that the divalent Zn of major component in the present i-QCs and approximants may be favourable for the moment formation of iron group elements in contrast with the case of the trivalent Al-based i-QCs such as Al–Cu–Fe.