Research Projects

The following objectives and methodologies are planned to implement the proposed work. Objectives: Aim to develop the Manganese based antiferromagnetic Heusler alloys suitable for the applications in the field of spintronics. Identification of composition and heat treatment for exhibiting the desired structural and magnetic properties. To understand and propose the investigations on the underlying mechanisms with respect to the structural, microstructural and magnetic properties and identifying the parameters that can be tailored the properties of these materials. To develop a detailed analysis of the role of selective substitutions on its structural and magnetic properties which enable them to find applications in the spintronics. The role of each atomic site and its occupancy provides the possible magnetic interactions. To develop the structural and magnetic phase diagrams of Manganese based alloys from the binary Mn3Y to Ternary Mn3-xPxY based compounds which can give more insight into the mechanisms that are underlying and provides the scope to develop the new materials with desired properties for the applications of spintronics. To develop the magnetic phase diagrams based on different processing parameters with respect to composition, heat treatment temperatures etc. which will provide the required information for the design of new materials for desired applications. The first step of the project will be the fabrication and characterization of series of Mn-based Heusler materials in bulk form for the study of the structure, microstructure, transformation temperatures and magnetocaloric properties. Suitable composition with desired properties will be identified. The algorithms of fine-tuning composition and heat treatment will be identified and used to develop the materials with desired properties. Magnetic properties, such as saturation magnetization and magneto-volume effects which can be altered using different compositional variations or by other elemental substitutions will be studied in detail. The site occupancy and magnetic moments distribution will be studied by X-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements for ordered and disordered alloys. Possible models will be explored. The magnetic nature of the materials will be studied using the magnetic property measurements through systematic investigations. After achieving the desired properties, it is planned to implement them to develop the melt-spun ribbons or thin films with different processing parameters like thickness variation, heat treatment temperatures and wheel speed, to find suitable applications in spintronics. Various target compositions and processing parameters will be studied and identified systematically for the development of these materials in thin film form. The phase transformations in the materials will be studied under magnetic field using ac susceptibility or dc magnetization measurements.