Distinct regulation of giant and spontaneous exchange bias by trace main-group element substitution in Ni50Mn42Sb8 Heusler alloys

Kaiyan Cao; Qizhong Zhao; Yiran Wang; Yin Zhang; Chao Zhou; Minxia Fang; Yu Wang; Fanghua Tian; Sen Yang

doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2026.141365

Distinct regulation of giant and spontaneous exchange bias by trace main-group element substitution in Ni₅₀Mn₄₂Sb₈ Heusler alloys

Kaiyan Cao
, Qizhong Zhao
, Yiran Wang
, Yin Zhang
, Chao Zhou
, Minxia Fang
, Yu Wang
, Fanghua Tian
, Sen Yang

School of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Trace amounts of group-IIIA and group-IVA elements were substituted into Ni₅₀Mn₄₂Sb₈ Heusler alloys to investigate their influence on exchange bias behavior. X-ray diffraction reveals that all alloys retain a mixed 4O/L2₁ structure, while In and Ga substitutions significantly increase the fraction of the cubic L2₁ phase. All samples exhibit spin-glass-like freezing at low temperatures. Remarkably, group-IIIA substitutions strongly enhance the field-cooled exchange bias, yielding a maximum value of 8370 Oe, whereas group-IVA Sn substitution induces a spontaneous exchange bias of 630 Oe after zero-field cooling. The distinct behaviors are attributed to different modifications of phase stability and magnetic exchange interactions.

Original language	English
Article number	141365
Journal	Materials Letters
Volume	422
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2026.141365
State	Published - 1 Nov 2026
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Element substitution
Exchange bias
Heusler alloys
Spin glass

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10.1016/j.matlet.2026.141365

Cite this

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title = "Distinct regulation of giant and spontaneous exchange bias by trace main-group element substitution in Ni50Mn42Sb8 Heusler alloys",

abstract = "Trace amounts of group-IIIA and group-IVA elements were substituted into Ni50Mn42Sb8 Heusler alloys to investigate their influence on exchange bias behavior. X-ray diffraction reveals that all alloys retain a mixed 4O/L21 structure, while In and Ga substitutions significantly increase the fraction of the cubic L21 phase. All samples exhibit spin-glass-like freezing at low temperatures. Remarkably, group-IIIA substitutions strongly enhance the field-cooled exchange bias, yielding a maximum value of 8370 Oe, whereas group-IVA Sn substitution induces a spontaneous exchange bias of 630 Oe after zero-field cooling. The distinct behaviors are attributed to different modifications of phase stability and magnetic exchange interactions.",

keywords = "Element substitution, Exchange bias, Heusler alloys, Spin glass",

author = "Kaiyan Cao and Qizhong Zhao and Yiran Wang and Yin Zhang and Chao Zhou and Minxia Fang and Yu Wang and Fanghua Tian and Sen Yang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026",

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doi = "10.1016/j.matlet.2026.141365",

language = "英语",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Distinct regulation of giant and spontaneous exchange bias by trace main-group element substitution in Ni50Mn42Sb8 Heusler alloys

AU - Cao, Kaiyan

AU - Zhao, Qizhong

AU - Wang, Yiran

AU - Zhang, Yin

AU - Zhou, Chao

AU - Fang, Minxia

AU - Wang, Yu

AU - Tian, Fanghua

AU - Yang, Sen

PY - 2026/11/1

Y1 - 2026/11/1

N2 - Trace amounts of group-IIIA and group-IVA elements were substituted into Ni50Mn42Sb8 Heusler alloys to investigate their influence on exchange bias behavior. X-ray diffraction reveals that all alloys retain a mixed 4O/L21 structure, while In and Ga substitutions significantly increase the fraction of the cubic L21 phase. All samples exhibit spin-glass-like freezing at low temperatures. Remarkably, group-IIIA substitutions strongly enhance the field-cooled exchange bias, yielding a maximum value of 8370 Oe, whereas group-IVA Sn substitution induces a spontaneous exchange bias of 630 Oe after zero-field cooling. The distinct behaviors are attributed to different modifications of phase stability and magnetic exchange interactions.

AB - Trace amounts of group-IIIA and group-IVA elements were substituted into Ni50Mn42Sb8 Heusler alloys to investigate their influence on exchange bias behavior. X-ray diffraction reveals that all alloys retain a mixed 4O/L21 structure, while In and Ga substitutions significantly increase the fraction of the cubic L21 phase. All samples exhibit spin-glass-like freezing at low temperatures. Remarkably, group-IIIA substitutions strongly enhance the field-cooled exchange bias, yielding a maximum value of 8370 Oe, whereas group-IVA Sn substitution induces a spontaneous exchange bias of 630 Oe after zero-field cooling. The distinct behaviors are attributed to different modifications of phase stability and magnetic exchange interactions.

KW - Element substitution

KW - Exchange bias

KW - Heusler alloys

KW - Spin glass

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105045688455

U2 - 10.1016/j.matlet.2026.141365

DO - 10.1016/j.matlet.2026.141365

M3 - 文章

AN - SCOPUS:105045688455

SN - 0167-577X

VL - 422

JO - Materials Letters

JF - Materials Letters

M1 - 141365

ER -

Distinct regulation of giant and spontaneous exchange bias by trace main-group element substitution in Ni₅₀Mn₄₂Sb₈ Heusler alloys

Abstract

Keywords

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