Electronic properties of quaternary heusler alloys

Abstract

Heusler alloys are most prominent example for the combination of magnetism and unique transport properties with application spin- tronic devices, topological insulators, thermoelectric devices , gi- ant magnetoresistive (GMR) devices,and many more. These unique properties are a ected by disorder present in them. Disorder in Heusler alloys not only a ects its crystal structure but also its other electronic and magnetic properties such as half-metallicity, spin- polarization, Curie temperature etc. We have synthesized Cu, Ni, Zn and Ti based ten quaternary Heusler alloys to study its crystal structure and its electronic properties and to know more about dis- order present in them and how they a ect their physical properties. Only ve of them NiFeTiGa, CuNiMnGa, CuFeMnGa, NiGeMnGa, CuNiFeGa were formed, while rest of them were not.The phase has been studied by XRD measurement, which indicate that NiFeTiGa and CuNiMnGa are formed in cubic Y (LiPdMgSn) phase with NaTl disorder present in it. While rest of three alloys are formed in mixed phase. Electrical resistivity measurements shows that prepared al- loys are metallic in nature. We have identi ed several candidates having potential for half-metallic ferromagnets employing ab initio electronic-structure calculations which shows that NiFeMnGa is only possible half-metal ferromagnet among them.