Antiphase boundaries in Ni-Mn-Ga ordered compound

Heusler Ni-Mn-Ga compounds exhibit various magnetoelastic effects and can be considered as an example of magnetoelastic multiferroics. The interactions between magnetic domain walls, twin boundaries or ferroelastic interfaces and antiphase boundaries (APB) was investigated using newly developed method utilizing magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The method exploits the magnetic contrast arising from different magnetic properties of antiphase boundary and bulk. Here the observation of APBs by MFM in both phases is presented; for the first time in ordered L21 parent cubic phase austenite. In modulated 10M martensite exhibiting magnetic shape memory effect we investigate APBs in the presence of twin boundary and the pining of magnetic domain wall on APBs.Heusler Ni-Mn-Ga compounds exhibit various magnetoelastic effects and can be considered as an example of magnetoelastic multiferroics. The interactions between magnetic domain walls, twin boundaries or ferroelastic interfaces and antiphase boundaries (APB) was investigated using newly developed method utilizing magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The method exploits the magnetic contrast arising from different magnetic properties of antiphase boundary and bulk. Here the observation of APBs by MFM in both phases is presented; for the first time in ordered L21 parent cubic phase austenite. In modulated 10M martensite exhibiting magnetic shape memory effect we investigate APBs in the presence of twin boundary and the pining of magnetic domain wall on APBs.