Properties of MnBi compounds partially substituted with Cu, Zn, Ti, Sb, and Te. I. Formation of mixed phases and crystal structures

A series of elements are tested for partial substitution in MnBi to form stable compounds suitable for magnetooptic memory applications. While MnBi1−xTex forms a stable NiAs-structure with higher c/a-ratio than the low temperature phase of pure MnBi, new stable compounds with low c/a-ratio are identified in the systems Mn1−xCuxBi, Mn1−xZnxBi, and Mn1−xTixBi. They have crystal structures similar to MnBi0.9Sb0.1 which has a less complicated NiAs-superstructure than the high-temperature phase of pure MnBi. The structural parameters of these compounds are evaluated by least squares refinements of X-ray powder diffraction data.