Magnetostructural coupling near room temperature in Ni _46-xFe_xCu₄Mn₃₄Ga₁₆ alloys

We report the magnetostructural coupling near room temperature in Ni _46-xFe_xCu₄Mn₃₄Ga ₁₆ (0 ≤ x ≤ 10) alloys. The martensitic transformation temperature was detected over the whole composition range and was decreased by the substitution of Fe for Ni. The martensitic and austenitic Curie temperatures, T_C^M and T_C^A, were observed for 0 ≤ x ≤ 6 and 4 ≤ x ≤ 10, respectively. With the increasing Fe content, T_C^A was slightly increased and T_C^M was more rapidly increased. The paramagnetic state of the martensite phase collapsed for x > 6 with the presence of the ferromagnetic austenite phase. The magnetostructural coupling transition from paramagnetic martensite to ferromagnetic austenite was obtained within the temperature range of 300-350 K which was near room temperature.