Abstract:
Previously, iron—silicon alloys were investigated using X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that, at low silicon concentrations, the alloys undergo a local separation into regions of the $\alpha$ iron phase depleted in silicon and silicon-rich clusters with a B2 ordering. The structure of locally ordered regions of the B2 phase is characterized by a pair ordering of silicon atoms: the Si–Si pairs are formed by next-nearest neighbors, and the axes of pairs are oriented along the $\langle$100$\rangle$ directions, which are the easy-magnetization axes. The thermomagnetic treatment in a constant magnetic field applied along the $\langle$100$\rangle$ axis induces an axial magnetic anisotropy, results in the formation of an anisotropic distribution of the B2 phase, and leads to a slight decrease in the volume fraction of the coordination 6: 2 with two silicon atoms in the first coordination shell of the iron atom. Therefore, the formation of an anisotropic local order of pairs of silicon atoms occurs as a result of their reorientation.
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