Amorphous states of melt-spun alloys in the system Dy–(Mn,Fe)6–(Ge,Al)6

Amorphous states have been found in rapidly quenched alloys in the pseudoternary system DyMn6−x−yFex+yGe6−xAlx (x,y=0 to 6). The amorphous state is formed in competition to the crystallization of ternary (1-6-6 rare earth-transition metal-metal) compounds. The melt-spun ribbons were investigated by x-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and magnetization measurements. All amorphous samples exhibit multistep crystallization behavior without a clear indication for a glass transition below the first exothermic effect. Some of the amorphous alloys exhibit a magnetic ordering above room temperature and complex magnetic transitions similar to the properties of crystalline 1-6-6 compounds.