Quantification of site disorder and its role on spin polarization in the nearly half-metallic Heusler alloy NiFeMnSn

The electronic structure and magnetism of the quaternary Heusler alloy NiFeMnSn are studied using the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave (FPLAPW) method. The calculation for the perfectly LiMgPdSn-type ordered crystal structure (type I) of NiFeMnSn shows a high spin polarization (∼76%) with a ferromagnetic ground state. The total spin magnetic moment is in good agreement with the Slater-Pauling rule. The structural investigations using neutron diffraction at 500 K, and Mössbauer spectroscopy at 300 K on the NiFeMnSn alloy, prepared using an arc melting, show the presence of atomic site disorder. The electronic structure calculation for the disordered structure shows that the site disorder destroys the nearly half-metallic nature of this alloy. The magnetization measurements indicate that the Curie temperature is well above room temperature (∼405 K) as desired for the spintronics application