Nature of the glassy magnetic state in Cu$_{2.84}$Mn$_{0.44}$Al$_{0.72}$ shape memory alloy

TL;DR

This study investigates the complex glassy magnetic state in a Cu-Mn-Al shape memory alloy, revealing a reentrant spin glass phase triggered by a first-order magneto-structural transition, with evidence from ac susceptibility and magnetic memory measurements.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed characterization of a Gabay-Toulous type spin glass state induced by a martensitic transition in a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy.

Findings

Presence of a glassy magnetic phase below the martensitic transition.

Evidence of two distinct magnetic anomalies in ac susceptibility.

Magnetic memory confirms the persistent glassy state.

Abstract

The magnetic ground state of the ferromagnetic shape memory alloy of nominal composition Cu$_{2.84}$Mn$_{0.44}$Al$_{0.72}$ was investigated. The sample shows reentry of a glassy magnetic phase below the martensitic transition temperature, which is found to have complex character with two distinct anomalies in the temperature dependent ac susceptibility data. The sample retains its glassy phase even below the second transition as evident from the magnetic memory measurements in different protocols. Existence of two transitions along with their observed nature suggest that the system can be described by the mean field Heisenberg model of reentrant spin glass as proposed by Gabay and Toulous. \cite{rsg-GT1} The sample provides a fascinating example where a Gabay-Toulous type spin glass state is triggered by a first order magneto-structural transition.