Magnetocaloric properties in cryogenic temperature range of ferromagnetic CeSi1.3Ga0.7 alloy

We present magnetocaloric properties of the CeSi _1.3Ga _0.7 alloy, a representative of the CeSi _2−xGa _x series. Crystallographic studies revealed that the alloy crystallizes in the tetragonal I 4 1 / amd α -ThSi ₂-type structure. Analysis of magnetic susceptibility denoted the magnetic phase transition at T C = 10.5 K. Based on the Arrott plot and the analysis of the critical exponents, it was determined that the phase transition is of the second-order type. From magnetization and specific heat results, we calculated following magnetocaloric parameters for a magnetic field change of 5 T: the magnetic entropy change - Δ S M = 5.7 J kg ⁻¹ K ⁻¹, the adiabatic temperature change Δ T ad = 3.4 K, the relative cooling power value RCP = 32.8 J kg ⁻¹, and the temperature averaged entropy change TEC ( 3 ) = 5.3 J kg ⁻¹ K ⁻¹ and TEC ( 10 ) = 3.4 J kg ⁻¹ K ⁻¹. Comparison of the master curves obtained from Δ S M based on the magnetization and specific heat analysis indicates that both methods of obtaining the magnetocaloric parameters give very similar results for this alloy.