  The quaternary Heusler compound NiFeTiSn can be considered to be derived from
the exotic pseudogap-compound Fe2TiSn by the replacement of one Fe atom by Ni.
In contrast to Fe2TiSn, which shows a disorder-induced ferromagnetic phase, the
ground state of NiFeTiSn is antiferromagnetic with the signature of spin
canting. Interestingly, NiFeTiSn shows a Griffiths-like phase characterized by
isolated ferromagnetic clusters before attaining the antiferromagnetic state.
The Griffiths-like phase is possibly associated with the antisite disorder
between Fe and Ti sites as evident from our powder X-ray diffraction study. The
compound also shows rather an unusual temperature dependence of resistivity,
which can be accounted for by the prevailing structural disorder in the system.
NiFeTiSn turned out to be a rare example where a Griffiths-like phase is
observed in a semiconducting 3d transition metal-based intermetallic compound
with an antiferromagnetic ground state.

Strongly Correlated Electrons;Materials Science