Crystal Structure and Magnetic Characteristics of Solid Solutions Mn.sub.1 - .sub.xFe.sub.xNiGe

Substitutional solid solutions Mn.sub.1 - .sub.xFe.sub.xNiGe (0.05 [less than or equal to] x [less than or equal to] 1.00) were synthesized. X-ray and neutron diffraction methods were used to study their crystal structure in the temperature range of 20-300 K. A phase transition from the hexagonal structure of the Ni.sub.2In type into the orthorhombic structure (space group Pnma) was found at T = 200 K. Magnetic properties of the obtained compounds were also studied in the temperature range of 5-300 K and in external magnetic field up to 10 T. A decrease in the magnetic order-magnetic disorder phase transition point from 272 to 132 K was revealed as the concentration x grows from 5 to 30 mol %.