Identification of a disordered magnetic phase in pure nanocrystalline iron

• Published in: Philosophical magazine. B, Physics of condensed matter. Structural, electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. Vol. 81; no. 10; pp. 1597 - 1602
• Main Authors: Mészáros, S., Vad, K., Hakl, J., Kerekes, L., Gurin, P., Kis-Varga, M., Szabó, S., De Chtel, P. F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01.10.2001
• ISSN: 1364-2812; 1463-6417
• DOI: 10.1080/13642810108208573

A magnetically disordered state was experimentally identified in bulk nanocrystalline iron at low temperatures. The structure and purity of as-milled samples (one milled in a helium atmosphere and the other in vacuum) were checked by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy methods. Low-field and high-field hysteresis loops at different temperatures as well as field-cooled and zero-field-cooled magnetization measurements at different external magnetic fields are presented. Frozen magnetic states were observed in both samples. It appears that ball-milled iron behaves much like a two component system with a ferromagnetic and a spin-glass-like phase.