Stability characteristics of the low-temperature ferrimagnetism in the Mn2−xZnxSb system

The magnetic properties of the system Mn2−xZnxSb are investigated experimentally in static and pulsed magnetic fields. It is found that the spontaneous first-order transitions from the ferro=imagnetic phase Fi to the weakly ferrimagnetic phase If which are observed on decreasing temperature in samples with x=0.1 and 0.2 are accompanied by an almost twofold decrease of the magnetization and magnetostriction with no change of the easy-plane character of the anisotropy. Studies of the effect of a pulsed magnetic field in the temperature region of stability of the weakly ferrimagnetic phase reveal reversible magnetic-field-induced first-order phase transitions If↔Fi. Quenching of the samples from 570K into liquid nitrogen enhances the stability of the weakly ferrimagnetic phase with respect to the influences of temperature and external magnetic field. This is manifested in an increase of the temperature of the spontaneous transition by 45 degrees and an increase in the critical field for its induction from 80...