Large spontaneous volume magnetostriction of Mn-Rh alloys

The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves and the temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility for /spl gamma/-MnRh ordered alloys show a marked peak associated with the magnetic transition. The Neel temperature of Mn/sub 77/Rh/sub 23/ and Mn/sub 75/Rh/sub 25/ ordered alloys is determined to be about 830 and 850 K, respectively. The paramagnetic susceptibility increases with increasing temperature, showing an itinerant electron characteristics. The thermal expansion coefficient becomes small below the Neel temperature due to a large spontaneous volume magnetostriction, taking about 5/spl times/10/sup -6//K around room temperature. Such alloys with a small thermal expansion coefficient would induce some strain in multilayers because of the difference between the thermal expansion.