Magnetic and transport studies of σ-phase Fe50V50 alloys with different thermal history

Abstract The influence of the formation conditions of the sigma phase in an equiatomic FeV alloy on the magnetic and electric transport properties is studied. It is found that a sigma phase sample with higher resistivity (subject to a previous long annealing) has a much sharper magnetic transition than one formed after a shorter heat treatment and quenching, although both have very similar magnetic moments and ferromagnetic transition temperatures (Tc ∼ 15 K from minimum dM/dT).