Magnetocrystalline anisotropy and magnetostriction in ordered and disordered Fe-Ga single crystals

On the basis of our new equilibrium phase diagram, Fe1-xGax (x = 0.24-0.25) single crystals with the A2, B2 and D0(3) structures have been prepared in order to investigate the magnetocrystalline anisotropies and magnetostrictions. The [110] direction was identified as a hard axis and the anisotropy coefficients were \K-2\ > K-1 > 0, 0 > K-2 in the A2 and B2 structures. Lowering the symmetry of the atomic arrangement, the magnetostriction of the [100] direction becomes larger. These results agree with qualitatively the theoretical calculations. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.