NONCOLLINEAR MAGNETIC-STRUCTURE IN NI0.35FE0.65

Magnetic structure of NicFe1-c alloys in the INVAR region has long bee n a matter of great scientific interest and controversy. Using the loc ally self-consistent multiple scattering method, which has recently be en extended to treat noncollinear magnetic systems, we studied the mag netic structure of Ni0.35Fe0.65 alloys. To simulate the alloys, we con structed a large fcc based sample which contains 256 sites occupied ra ndomly by Ni and Fe atoms. The ground state magnetic structure is foun d to consist of noncollinear configurations associated with Fe-rich re gions. In particular, Fe sites surrounded completely by other Fe atoms have antiferromagnetic alignments, while Fe sites having less than th ree Ni nearest-neighbors have a variety of noncollinear arrangements. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.