Kinetic-arrest-induced phase coexistence and metastability in (Mn,Fe)2(P,Si)

X. F. Miao, Y. Mitsui, A. Iulian Dugulan, L. Caron, N. V. Thang, P. Manuel, K. Koyama, K. Takahashi, N. H. Van Dijk, E. Brück

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Abstract

Neutron diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetometry, and in-field x-ray diffraction are employed to investigate the magnetoelastic phase transition in hexagonal (Mn,Fe)2(P,Si) compounds. (Mn,Fe)2(P,Si) compounds undergo for certain compositions a second-order paramagnetic (PM) to a spin-density-wave (SDW) phase transition before further transforming into a ferromagnetic (FM) phase via a first-order phase transition. The SDW-FM transition can be kinetically arrested, causing the coexistence of FM and untransformed SDW phases at low temperatures. Our in-field x-ray diffraction and magnetic relaxation measurements clearly reveal the metastability of the untransformed SDW phase. This unusual magnetic configuration originates from the strong magnetoelastic coupling and the mixed magnetism in hexagonal (Mn,Fe)2(P,Si) compounds.

Original languageEnglish
Article number094426
JournalPhysical Review B (Condensed Matter and Materials Physics)
Volume94
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Sept 2016

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