The room temperature metastable/stable phase relationships in the pseudo-binary Gd5Si4-Gd5Ge4 system

The phase relationships, crystallography and magnetic phase diagram of the pseudo-binary Gd5Si4-Gd5Ge4 system in the as-cast state is described. Three extended solid solution regions were confirmed: the Si-rich alloys which have the orthorhombic Gd5Si4-type structure, the intermediate region alloys with the monoclinic Gd5Si2Ge2-type structure and the Ge-rich alloys which have the orthorhombic Sm5Ge4-type structure. The sample preparation techniques and the methods used for determining the phase purity of the alloys are also discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.