Magnetic Compton Scattering: A Reliable Probe to Investigate Magnetic Properties

Magnetic Compton scattering (MCS) is an ideal technique for the study of magnetic properties of ferro/ferrimagnetic materials because this method reveals the spin-polarized electron momentum density and yields the absolute and site dependent spin moments. The quantity measured in the MCS, so called magnetic Compton profile, is defined as the difference in the one-dimensional projection of the spin-polarized electron momentum density for majority and minority spin bands. In MCS, the Doppler broadening of the scattered radiation provides information on the correlation between the spin moment and the spin-polarized electron states of the valence electrons. It can also distinguish the spin polarization of itinerant electrons, because their momentum is narrow around the center of the profile. In this paper, temperature and field dependent spin momentum densities in Zn doped Ni ferrite namely, Ni1-xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2), hole doped manganites like La0.7Ca0.3Mn1-xAlxO3 (x = 0, 0.02 and 0.06) and half Heusler alloys Cu1-xNixMnSb (x = 0.17, 0.22) are reviewed. The decomposition of profiles in terms of site specific magnetic moments and their role in the formation of total spin moment is also discussed.