High-energy x-ray studies of Fe-Ga magnetostrictive alloys

June 12, 2008

High energy x-rays have been used to characterize the Ga ordering in magnetostrictive Fe1-xGax from 0<x<0.2. The diffuse scattering in the [H H L] plane shows both short range order (SRO) and thermal diffuse scattering features (figure). A dramatic suppression of magnetostriction near ~20% Ga concentration can be linked rapid growth of SRO clusters just before the onset of long-range chemical order.

Contact: Robert McQueeney - Iowa State University