Magnetic and Crystallographic Properties of Shape Memory Alloys Ni₂Mn_1+xSn_1-x

X-ray powder diffraction and magnetization measurements were done on the magnetic shape memory alloys Ni2Mn1+xSn1-x. The alloys with 0≤x≾0.4 crystallize in the cubic L21 structure and exhibit the ferromagnetic behavior. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that the excess Mn atoms occupy the Sn sites. Furthermore, magnetization measurements make clear that the Mn atoms, which substitute for Sn sites, are coupled antiferromagnetically to the ferromagnetic manganese sublattices. The alloys with 0.4≾x≤0.6 undergo a martensitic transition from the high temperature L21 structure to the orthorhombic 4O one. These alloys show a variety of magnetic transitions. A magnetic phase diagram of Ni2Mn1+xSn1-x system is discussed qualitatively on the basis of the interatomic dependence of the exchange interactions.