IRON MAGNETIC-MOMENTS AND SPIN-DENSITY ASPHERICITY IN FE3(ALXSI1-X) ALLOYS

The magnetic structure factors determined using polarized neutron scattering are employed to analyze the magnetic-moment distribution of Fe in Fe3(AlxSi1-x) alloys. The spherical and aspherical parts of the distributions are not much different for the two symmetry-inequivalent sites. There is no clear trend in the relative proportion of Eg-type contribution to the magnetic moments throughout the whole series, from x=0 to x=1. However, definite systematic changes are observed in the values and spatial distributions of the moments residing at the nonferrous sites. It seems that the results analyzed in the paper add further evidence about the inadequacy of presently available first-principles theories of electronic states. © 1990 The American Physical Society.