Magnetic circular dichroism at Fe and V L2,3 thresholds of Heusler-type Fe2-xV1+xAl

Soft X-ray absorption (XAS) spectra and their magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) have been studied at the transition-metal L2,3 thresholds of Heusler-type Fe2-xV1+xAl intermetallic compounds. Satellite structures 5 eV above the main Fe and V L2,3 XAS peaks are attributed to a singularity in the density of states, and fine structures in the V L2,3 spectra is ascribed to the multiplets. Observed MCD intensity changes as the bulk magnetization on changing the content x in Fe2-xV1+xAl. Although the observed MCD signals are small, they definitely indicate the anti-ferromagnetic coupling between the Fe and V magnetic moments, as predicted for the magnetic cluster formed around the anti-site defects in the Heusler lattice. The existence of the magnetic cluster may cause the unusual transport properties at low temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]