Structural and magnetic properties of magnetron sputtered Ni-Mn-Sn ferromagnetic shape memory alloy thin films

Journal Article · Sat May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3393961· OSTI ID:21476256

Vishnoi, Ritu; Kaur, Davinder ^[1]

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1. Functional Nanomaterials Research Laboratory, Department of Physics and Center of Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667 (India)

In the present study, structural and magnetic properties of Mn-rich, off-stoichiometric, nanocrystalline Ni-Mn-Sn ferromagnetic shape memory alloy thin films, grown on Si (100) substrates at 550 deg. C by dc magnetron sputtering have been systematically investigated. The crystallization, surface morphology, and structural features were studied using x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The structural transition from austenite to martensite was observed with an increase of Mn content. Austenitic phase with mixed L2{sub 1}/A2+B2 structure has been observed at room temperature in Ni{sub 52.6}Mn{sub 23.7}Sn{sub 23.6} (S{sub 1}) and Ni{sub 51.5}Mn{sub 26.1}Sn{sub 22.2} (S{sub 2}) films, while those with composition of Ni{sub 58.9}Mn{sub 28.0}Sn{sub 13.0} (S{sub 3}) and Ni{sub 58.3}Mn{sub 29.0}Sn{sub 12.6} (S{sub 4}) show martensitic phase with 14M modulated monoclinic structures. Field induced martensite-austenite transformation has been observed in magnetization studies using superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer. Temperature dependent magnetization measurements demonstrate the influence of magnetic field on the structural phase transition temperature. The investigations reveal an increase of martensitic transformation temperature (T{sub M}) with corresponding increase in substitution of Mn. The films exhibit ferromagnetic behavior at low temperatures below Curie temperature (T{sub C}). The decrease in saturation moment with increasing Mn content, indicates the existence of antiferromagnetic correlations within ferromagnetic matrix.

• OSTI ID: 21476256
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 107, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3393961; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
AUSTENITIC STEELS
CRYSTALLIZATION
CRYSTALS
CURIE POINT
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETIZATION
MANGANESE ALLOYS
MARTENSITIC STEELS
MONOCLINIC LATTICES
NANOSTRUCTURES
NICKEL ALLOYS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SHAPE MEMORY EFFECT
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THIN FILMS
TIN ALLOYS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
ALLOYS
CARBON ADDITIONS
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTAL LATTICES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FILMS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MAGNETIC MATERIALS
MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SCATTERING
STEELS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT ALLOYS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE