Magnetic and magneto-caloric properties of Tb 5Ge 2Si 2

Abstract

We have studied the magnetic properties and magneto-caloric effect in the compound Tb 5Ge 2Si 2 by means of magnetic measurements. The compound Tb 5Ge 2Si 2 is a canted antiferromagnet with Gd 5Ge 2Si 2-type monoclinic structure. The ordering temperature is about 76 K. Above the ordering temperature, a field-induced first-order phase transition was observed in the magnetization curves with increasing and decreasing fields. The magnetic entropy changes have been calculated from the magnetization data based on the thermodynamic Maxwell relation. The character of the magnetic entropy changes, depending on the field and temperature, is similar to that in the Gd 5Ge 2Si 2 compound. There is hardly any influence of the magnetic anisotropy on the magneto-caloric effects in Tb 5Ge 2Si 2. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.