On the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of rare earth intermetallic compound Tb0.33Ho0.33Er0.33Ni

Polycrystalline rare earth intermetallic compound Tb0.33Ho0.33Er0.33Ni has been synthesized by arc melting under argon atmosphere. Powder X-ray diffraction data suggest that the compound Tb0.33Ho0.33Er0.33Ni crystallizes in orthorhombic structure at 300 K (FeB-type, space group Pnma). Temperature variation of magnetization reveals paramagnetic to ferromagnetic cross-over around 59 K (TC). The TC is close to the average value of the ferromagnetic transition temperatures of TbNi, HoNi and ErNi compounds. Isothermal magnetization has been measured as a function of magnetic field up to 70 kOe and the magnetocaloric effect around TC has been calculated.