Mechano-magnetic properties of bulk and thin-film MxFe4-xN (M = Pd, Ga) nitrides

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There is a vast number of derivates of the fundamental gamma'-Fe4N phase, many of which have been investigated both experimentally and theoretically with respect to fascinating structural and magnetic/mechanical properties. Within the first application period, we have suggested a mechano-magnetic transition for PdFe3N at elevated temperatures. Such an effect has never been observed before in these compounds and, thus, we want to carefully explore the mechanical and magnetic properties on the basis of advanced synthetic methods, guided by electronic-structure calculations from first principles. As a first target, we will investigate the entire PdxFe4-xN series and analyze the interplay between different magnetic orderings of the bulk samples at elevated temperatures. Just like the Pd-substituted compounds, the whole GaxFe4-xN series exhibits a competition between different magnetic orderings, so an unusual mechano-magnetic behavior is also to be expected in this case and needs to be verified. Neutron diffraction experiments of selected samples will be carried out to determine the magnetic structures. Furthermore, we will systematically correlate phase stability, elastic and magnetic properties with the electronic structure of MxFe4-xN (M = 4d elements, Ni group elements, as well as B group elements). We aim to identify another stable perovskite where the proposed mechano-magnetic transition as in PdFe3N occurs.