Interplay of Competing Magnetic Interactions in Noncentrosymmetric Nd₃Te₄ for Enhancing the Magnetocaloric Properties

The enhancement of magnetocaloric effects in noncentrosymmetric lattices is intricately linked to the competing magnetic interactions. Nd 3 Te 4 possesses a Th 3 P 4 -type noncentrosymmetric structure, inheriting competing magnetism from the asymmetrical arrangement of magnetic ions in the lattice. Our investigation delves into the structural, magnetic, transport, and magnetocaloric properties of Nd 3 Te 4 synthesized through the solid-state sealed tube method under different sintering conditions. The significant effect of sintering conditions on the competing magnetic interactions is manifested through the reduction in transition temperature and area of the hysteresis loop with persisting magnetic irreversibility in ZFC and FC curves. We extensively explored the sample with the least ferromagnetic character, focusing on its magnetocaloric and related properties. Additionally, ac susceptibility measurements at different excitation frequencies and applied dc field reveal the underlying competing interactions among weakly interacting moments having conventional glass-like characteristics. The considerable negative magnetoresistance in temperature-dependent transport and the obtained large Sommerfeld coefficient from specific heat measurements suggest the presence of correlated electrons in Nd 3 Te 4 .