Observation of enhanced exchange bias behavior in NiCoMnSb Heusler alloys

Abstract

We report the observation of large exchange bias in Ni50-xCoxMn38Sb12 Heusler alloys with x=0, 2, 3, 4, 5, which is attributed to the coexistence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases in the martensitic phase. The phase coexistence is possibly due to the supercooling of the high temperature ferromagnetic phase and the predominant antiferromagnetic component in the martensitic phase. The presence of exchange bias is well supported by the observation of training effect. The exchange bias field increases with Co concentration. The maximum value of 480 Oe at T=3K is observed in x=5 after field cooling in 50 kOe, which is almost double the highest value reported so far in any Heusler alloy system. Increase in the antiferromagnetic coupling after Co substitution is found to be responsible for the increase in the exchange bias.

17 pages, 8 figures

References in corpus (2)

• Giant inverse magnetocaloric effect near room temperature in Co substituted NiMnSb Heusler alloys
• Factors influencing the Martensitic interactions in Ni50Mn35Sn15: An EXAFS study

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Exchange bias effect in alloys and compounds
• Understanding the origin of the magneto-caloric effects in substitutional Ni-Mn-Sb-Z (Z=Fe, Co, Cu) compounds: insights from first-principles calculations
• Giant magnetocaloric effect driven by first-order magneto-structural transition in cosubstituted Ni-Mn-Sb Heusler compounds: predictions from \textit{Ab initio} and Monte Carlo calculations