Abstract
We report measurements of the magnetic, transport, and thermal properties of the Heusler-type compound . We show that while stoichiometric is a nonmagnetic semimetal a 5% substitution on the Al site with the elements Fe and V atoms leads to a ferromagnetic ground state with a Curie temperature and a small ordered moment in . The reduced value of the ratio , where is the effective Curie-Weiss moment, together with the analysis of the magnetization data , show magnetism is of itinerant nature. The specific heat shows an unusual temperature variation at low temperatures with an enhanced Sommerfeld coefficient, . The resistivity, , is metallic and follows a power law behavior with below . With applying pressure, decreases with the rate of . We conclude substitution on the Al site with Fe and V atoms results in itinerant ferromagnetism with a low carrier density.
2 More- Received 11 May 2010
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.82.104408
©2010 American Physical Society