Magnetic phase transitions of antiperovskite Mn_3-xFe _xSnC (0.5≤x≤1.3)

The magnetization and electrical resistivity of Mn_3-xFe _xSnC (0.5≤x≤1.3) were measured to investigate the behavior of the complicated magnetic phase transitions and electronic transport properties from 5 to 300 K. The results obtained demonstrate that Fe doping at the Mn sites of Mn₃SnC induces a more complicated magnetic phase transition than that in its parent phase Mn₃SnC from a paramagnetic (PM) state to a ferrimagnetic (FI) state consisting of antiferromagnetic (AFM) and ferromagnetic (FM) components, while, with the change of Fe-doped content and magnetic field, there is a competition between the AFM component and FM component in the FI state. Both the Curie temperature (TC) and the saturated magnetization Ms increase with increasing x. The FM component region becomes broader with further increasing Fe-doped content x. The external magnetic field easily creates a saturated FM state (and increased TC) when H<1500Oe. Fe doping quenches the negative thermal expansion (NTE) behavior from 200 to 250 K reported in Mn ₃SnC.