Skip to main content
Log in

Quality of Heusler single crystals examined by depth-dependent positron annihilation techniques

  • Published:
Applied Physics A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Heusler compounds exhibit a wide range of different electronic ground states and are hence expected to be applicable as functional materials in novel electronic and spintronic devices. Since the growth of large and defect-free Heusler crystals is still challenging, single crystals of Fe2TiSn and Cu2MnAl were grown by the optical floating zone technique. Two positron annihilation techniques—angular correlation of annihilation radiation and Doppler broadening spectroscopy (DBS)—were applied in order to study both the electronic structure and lattice defects. Recently, we succeeded to observe clearly the anisotropy of the Fermi surface of Cu2MnAl, whereas the spectra of Fe2TiSn were disturbed by foreign phases. In order to estimate the defect concentration in different samples of Heusler compounds, the positron diffusion length was determined by DBS using a monoenergetic positron beam.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. T. Graf, C. Felser, S.S. Parkin, Prog. Solid State Chem. 39, 1 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. F. Heusler, Verhandlungen der Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft 5, 1 (1903)

    Google Scholar 

  3. A. Ślebarski, Phys. Rev. B 62, 3296 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. A. Ślebarski, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 39, 856 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. K.E.H.M. Hanssen, P.E. Mijnarends, L.P.L.M. Rabou, K.H.J. Buschow, Phys. Rev. B 42, 1533 (1990)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. T.D. Haynes, R.J. Watts, J. Laverock, Z.S. Major, M.A. Alam, J.W. Taylor, J.A. Duffy, S.B. Dugdale, New J. Phys. 14, 035020 (2012)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. S.B. Dugdale, J. Laverock, J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 505, 012046 (2014)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. A. Neubauer, Ph.D. thesis, Technische Universität München (2011)

  9. A. Neubauer, F. Jonietz, M. Meven, R. Georgii, G. Brandl, G. Behr, P. Böni, C. Pfleiderer, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A 688, 66 (2012)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. A. Neubauer, J. Boeuf, A. Bauer, B. Russ, H.V. Löhneysen, C. Pfleiderer, Rev. Sci. Instr. 82, 013902 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. C.V. Falub, P.E. Mijnarends, S.W.H. Eijt, M.A. van Huis, A. van Veen, H. Schut, Phys. Rev. B 66, 075426 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. W. Al-Sawai, B. Barbiellini, Y. Sakurai, M. Itou, P.E. Mijnarends, R.S. Markiewicz, S. Kaprzyk, S. Wakimoto, M. Fujita, S. Basak, H. Lin, Y.J. Wang, S.W.H. Eijt, H. Schut, K. Yamada, A. Bansil, Phys. Rev. B 85, 115109 (2012)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. H. Ceeh, J.A. Weber, M. Leitner, P. Böni, C. Hugenschmidt, Rev. Sci. Instr. 84, 043905 (2013)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. M. Stadlbauer, C. Hugenschmidt, K. Schreckenbach, Appl. Surf. Sci. 255, 136 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. M. Reiner, P. Pikart, C. Hugenschmidt, J. Phys: Conf. Ser. 443, 012071 (2013)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. C. Hugenschmidt, B. Löwe, J. Mayer, C. Piochacz, P. Pikart, R. Repper, M. Stadlbauer, K. Schreckenbach, Nucl. Instr. Meth. A 593, 616 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. C. Hugenschmidt, H. Ceeh, T. Gigl, F. Lippert, C. Piochacz, M. Reiner, K. Schreckenbach, S. Vohburger, J. Weber, S. Zimnik, J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 505, 012029 (2014)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. C. Hugenschmidt, N. Qi, M. Stadlbauer, K. Schreckenbach, Phys. Rev. B 80, 224203 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. A. van Veen, H. Schut, J. de Vries, R.A. Hakvoort, M.R. Ijpma, AIP Conf. Proc. 218, 171 (1991)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research project was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) within the Transregional Collaborative Research Center TRR80 “From electronic correlations to functionality” and supported by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme through the ‘Research Infrastructures’ action of the ‘Capacities’ Programme, Contract number: CP-CSA_INFRA-2008-1.1.1 Number 226507-NMI3. Financial support by the BMBF (Project numbers. 05KI0WOB and 05K13WO1) is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. Hugenschmidt.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hugenschmidt, C., Bauer, A., Böni, P. et al. Quality of Heusler single crystals examined by depth-dependent positron annihilation techniques. Appl. Phys. A 119, 997–1002 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9058-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9058-7

Keywords

Navigation