Phase coexistence and interrupted 1st order transition in magnetic shape memory alloys

Current theoretical studies on structural and magnetic properties of functional Ni-Mn-Z (Z = Ga, In, Sn) Heusler alloys address the origin of the structural transition from the austenite to martensite, and also address the dominant contribution to the latent heat associated with this magneto-structural transition. This should help understand the origin of kinetic arrest of 1st order magnetic transitions.