Antisite disorder and phase segregation in Mn2NiSn

Abstract

Abstract A systematic study of crystal structure, local structure, magnetic and transport properties in quenched and temper annealed Ni 2 − x Mn 1 + x Sn alloys indicate the formation of Mn3Sn type structural defects caused by an antisite disorder between Mn and Sn occupying the Y and Z sublattices of X2YZ Heusler structure. The antisite disorder is caused by the substitution of Ni by Mn at the X sites. On temper annealing, these defects segregate and phase separate into L 2 1 Heusler and D 0 19 Mn3Sn type phases.