Surface and bulk properties of the Heusler compound Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al: a Moessbauer study

TL;DR

This study uses Moessbauer spectroscopy to analyze the surface and bulk structural and magnetic properties of the Heusler compound Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al, revealing effects of mechanical treatment and differences between surface and bulk.

Contribution

It provides new insights into surface and bulk disorder effects in Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al using combined transmission and CEMS techniques.

Findings

Mechanical treatment induces disorder and phase segregation.

Surface and bulk properties differ significantly.

Bulk measurements aid interpretation of thin film spectra.

Abstract

To explore its structural and magnetic properties, the Heusler compound Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al was investigated using Moessbauer spectroscopy. The results of both transmission and conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy (CEMS) are analyzed to obtain insight into both the disorder effects as well as the differences between bulk and surface properties. It was found that mechanical treatment of the surfaces of bulk samples causes disorder and phase segregation, effects that should be taken into consideration when performing studies using surface-informative techniques. Results from bulk sample CEMS measurements of Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al are used to interpret the thin film Moessbauer spectra of this compound.