Mechanism for modulated structures in Ni-Mn-Ga: An EXAFS Study

The local atomic structure of Ni-Mn-Ga alloys was explored using Mn and Ga K-edge extended X-ray fine structure (EXAFS) measurement. The changes occuring in the L1$_0$ sub-cell of the martensitic unit cell and the bond lengths obtained from the analysis enables us to propose a scheme for the structural distortions responsible for the modulations and shuffling of the atomic planes in the martensitic phase of Ni-Mn-Ga system. The EXAFS analysis also suggests the changes in hybridization of Ga-$p$ and Ni-$d$ orbitals associated with the local symmetry breaking upon undergoing martensitic transition.