A model description of the first-order phase transition in MnFeP1-xAsx

Abstract

We present a description of the critical behavior at the first-order phase transition in MnFeP1-xAsx system in terms of the Bean-Rodbell model. Within the molecular-field approximation, the Gibbs free energy of the system is expressed in terms of the exchange interaction, the elastic energy, the entropy term, the pressure term and the Zeeman energy. A magnetic-state equation has been obtained by minimizing the Gibbs free energy with respect to the volume and the magnetization. The characteristic parameters for the phase transition observed in this system have been obtained by fitting our experimental data. The results show that the magnetoelastic coupling plays a very important role in the mechanism of the phase transition. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.