Robust Bain distortion in the premartensite phase of a platinum-substituted Ni2MnGa magnetic shape memory alloy

Abstract

In magnetic shape memory Heusler alloys, the premartensite phase is believed to be a precursor state of the martensite phase with preserved austenite phase symmetry. Here, the authors show that the premartensite is a stable phase with its own crystallographic symmetry resulting from the stepped growth of Bain distortions in the lattice.