%0 Journal Article
%T Role of covalent hybridization in martensitic structure and magnetic properties of shape memory alloys: the case of Ni50Mn5+xGa35-xCu10
%A G. J. Li
%A E. K. Liu
%A H. G. Zhang
%A Y. J. Zhang
%A G. Z Xu
%A H. Z. Luo
%A H. W. Zhang
%A W. H. Wang
%A G. H. Wu
%J Physics
%D 2012
%I arXiv
%R 10.1063/1.4791701
%X We have investigated the impact of covalent hybridization on martensitic structure and magnetic properties of Ni50Mn5+xGa35-xCu10 shape memory alloys. We found that the lattice distortion ((c-a)/a) of L10 martensite monotonously changes with the substitution of Mn for Ga atoms and shows a kink behavior at Ga(at.%)= 25 due to the weakened covalent effect between main-group and transition-metal atoms. Moreover, owing to the competition between covalence hybridization and magnetic ordering of introduced Mn atoms, the molecular magnetic moment and Curie temperature coincidently show maximums at Ga(at.%)=25 as well. These behaviors are closely associated with corresponding changes of the strength of covalent hybridization. The results therefore suggest that careful control of the concentration of main-group atoms in Heusler alloys can serve as an additional general tuning parameter for searching new multifunctional materials.
%U http://arxiv.org/abs/1212.0302v1