Systematic study of magnetic properties in Zn-based Tsai-type icosahedral quasicrystals and their approximant

Abstract

We have investigated the magnetic properties of Zn-based Tsai-type icosahedral quasicrystals (i-QCs) and their approximants by measuring the field-and temperature-dependence of magnetization. The quasicrystals are formed by an addition of the third element M (M = Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Pd, Ag, Pt or Au) to a Zn₁₇Sc₃ 1/1 cubic approximant crystal. The remarkable feature of the Zn–M–Sc series is a variety of the additional M elements ranging from light metal Mg and 3d transition metals to noble metals. The experimental results obviously show that the i-QCs containing 3d transition metals (M = Mn, Fe, Co or Ni) have the local magnetic moment formation. We also confirmed appearance of Curie-Weiss paramagnetism for a Zn₈₂Fe₃Sc₁₅ 1/1 cubic approximant crystal. The present results indicate that the divalent Zn of major component in the present i-QCs and approximants may be favourable for the moment formation of iron group elements in contrast with the case of the trivalent Al-based i-QCs such as Al–Cu–Fe.

Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to the Research Centre for Molecular-Scale Nanoscience, the Institute for Molecular Science for assistance in obtaining the experimental data of magnetism. We would like to thank M. Sakai of the Research Center for his help in the use of the SQUID magnetometer. We also thank C. Masuda, R. Maezawa and D. Mishima for their help in preparing some of the samples and measuring one magnetism data. This research was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B), 16760528, 2004-2005.