Study of magnetic phase separation and metastability across first order magnetic transition

Glass like magnetic state in manganites and intermetallics has been of extensive scientific interest in recent years. In this talk I will discuss magnetic phase coexistence and glass like magnetic state in doped Mn2Sb/ FeRh systems which show disorder broadened transition. Relative role of pressure, magnetic field and temperature in the broadening of transition width and hysteresis width will be illustrated. The phase coexistence and path dependence of thermomagnetic irreversibilities across disorder broadened first order transition is shown on mesoscopic length scale by low temperature and high magnetic field scanning hall probe microscopy. The thermomagnetic irreversibilities arising due to slow dynamics of the transition (kinetic arrest) will be distinguished from that arising due to supercooling/superheating across a first order transition.