Anisotropic magnetic properties and giant magnetocaloric effect of single-crystal PrSi

• Published in: Physical review. B, Condensed matter and materials physics Vol. 89; no. 13
• Main Authors: Das, Pranab Kumar, Bhattacharyya, Amitava, Kulkarni, Ruta, Dhar, S. K., Thamizhavel, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 21-04-2014
• Subjects: Anisotropy; Condensed matter; Crystals; Heat capacity; Magnetic permeability; Magnetic properties; Magnetic susceptibility; Magnetization; Specific heat
• ISSN: 1098-0121; 1550-235X
• DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.89.134418

The anisotropic magnetic properties were investigated by means of magnetic susceptibility, isothermal magnetization, electrical transport, and heat capacity measurements. Magnetic susceptibility data clearly indicate the ferromagnetic transition in PrSi with a T sub(C) of 52 K. The relative easy axis of magnetization was found to be the [010] direction. Heat capacity data confirm the bulk nature of the transition at 52 K and exhibit a huge anomaly at the transition. From the crystal electric field analysis of the magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, and heat capacity data it is found that the degenerate J = 4 Hund's rule derived state of the Pr super(3+) ion splits into nine singlets with an overall splitting of 284 K, the first excited singlet state separated by just 9 K from the ground state. The magnetic ordering in PrGe appears to be due to the exchangegenerated admixture of lowlying crystal field levels. The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) has been investigated from magnetization data along all three principal crystallographic directions.