Disappearance of the heat capacity peak of Sc 3In around the curie temperature in high magnetic fields

Abstract

The low temperature (1.3–20.0 K) heat capacity of the weak itinerant electron ferromagnet Sc 3In was measured in magnetic fields up to ∼ 10 T. The heat capacity peak observed around T c = 6.0 K in zero field becomes smaller with increasing fields and at 9.98 T its magnetic entropy is ≈ 18% of the zero field value. Above T c, the spin fluctuation contribution to the heat capacity, which is enhanced by the magnetic field at lower fields (⪅5 T), is quenched at higher fields (⪆5 T). This depression of the spin fluctuation contibution to the heat capacity by the high magnetic fields occurs at lower magnetic fields than had been considered possible heretofore. Our results suggest that the itinerant ferromagnetism is Sc 3In is completely quenched at 12 T.