Lattice dynamics and phonon softening in Ni-Mn-Al Heusler alloys
arXiv:cond-mat/0601546 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.73.064303
Abstract
Inelastic and elastic neutron scattering have been used to study a single crystal of the Ni$_{54}$Mn$_{23}$Al$_{23}$ Heusler alloy over a broad temperature range. The paper reports the first experimental determination of the low-lying phonon dispersion curves for this alloy system. We find that the frequencies of the TA$_2$ modes are relatively low. This branch exhibits an anomaly (dip) at a wave number $ξ_{0} ={1/3}\approx 0.33$, which softens with decreasing temperature. Associated with this anomalous dip at $ξ_{0}$, an elastic central peak scattering is also present. We have also observed satellites due to the magnetic ordering.
6 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in the Physical Review B