title: First order magnetic transition in doped CeFe2 alloys: phase coexistence and metastability.
abstract: First order ferromagnetic (FM) to antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition in doped CeFe2 alloys is studied with the micro-Hall probe technique. Clear visual evidence of magnetic phase coexistence on micrometer scales and the evolution of this phase coexistence as a function of temperature, magnetic field, and time across the first order FM-AFM transition is presented. Such phase coexistence and metastability arise as a natural consequence of an intrinsic disorder-influenced first order transition. The generality of these phenomena involving other classes of materials is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nigam
authors.forename: K J S
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Sokhey
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaddah
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Caplin
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Cohen