Effect of Ge substitution for Si on the anomalous magnetocaloric and magnetoresistance properties of GdMn2Si2 compounds

Abstract

The effect of Ge substitution on the magnetization, heat capacity, magnetocaloric effect, and magnetoresistance of GdMn2Si2−xGex (x=0, 1, and 2) compounds has been studied. The magnetic transition associated with the Gd ordering is found to change from second order to first order on Ge substitution. Magnetic contributions to the total heat capacity and the entropy have been estimated. Magnetocaloric effect has been calculated in terms of adiabatic temperature change (ΔTad) as well as isothermal magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) using the heat capacity data. The temperature dependence of the magnetocaloric effect in all the three compounds have shown broad peaks. The maximum values of ΔSM and ΔTad for GdMn2Ge2 are found to be 5.9J∕kgK and 1.2K, respectively. The magnetoresistance is found to be very large and positive with a maximum value of about 22% in the case of GdMn2Ge2. In the other two compounds also, the magnetoresistance is predominantly positive, except in the vicinity of the Gd ordering temperature. The anomalous nature of the magnetocaloric effect and the magnetoresistance has been attributed to the canted magnetic structure of these compounds.