Dependence of spin-glass behaviour on atomic short-range order

Abstract The effect of short-range order (SRO) on the magnetic behaviour as well as on the low-temperature specific heat of Au Fe-alloys has been studied for three well defined states of SRO. Usual spin-glass features are observed. The freezing temperature T f and the linear specific heat term γ ∗ T appear to be not sensitive to SRO whereas the amplitude of the susceptibility peak at T f is drastically increased. This behaviour corresponds astonishingly well with previous findings on Cu Mn. This might be a consequence of the coupling of second nearest neighbours in Cu Mn but of third nearest neighbours in Au Fe.