The formation of a short-range order in soft magnetic Fe-Si alloys depending on the annealing temperature has been investigated theoretically and experimentally. The B2-type short-range order has been observed in samples quenched from temperatures T > T_C (where TC is the Curie temperature) with the content cSi close to the boundary of the two-phase region. Annealing at temperatures T < TC for the content c Si≥ 0.08 leads to an increase in the fraction of regions with the D0_3-type short-range order. The mechanism of the formation of the short-range order in Fe-Si solid solutions has been analyzed by the Monte Carlo simulation with the ab initio calculated interatomic interaction parameters. It has been shown that the energy of the effective Si-Si interaction in bcc iron strongly depends on the magnetic state of the matrix. As a result, the B2-type short-range order is formed at T > TC and is fixed at quenching, whereas the D0_3-type short-range order is equilibrium in the ferromagnetic state. The results reveal the decisive role of magnetism in the formation of the short-range order in Fe-Si alloys and allow the explanation of the observed structural features of the alloys depending on the composition and temperature.
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