Effect of Mn-site vacancies on the magnetic entropy change and the Curie temperature of La0.67Ca0.33Mn1−xO3 perovskite

Single-phase polycrystalline samples of La0.67Ca0.33Mn1−xO3 (x=0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06) have been prepared using the sol–gel method. The structure, magnetocaloric properties and the Curie temperature of the samples with different Mn vacancy concentrations have been investigated. The experimental results show that vacancy doping at the Mn-sites has a significant influence on the magnetic properties of La0.67Ca0.33Mn1−xO3. The Curie temperature decreases monotonically with increasing the Mn-site vacancy concentration x. A remarkable enhancement of the magnetic entropy change has been obtained in the La0.67Ca0.33Mn0.98O3 sample. The entropy change reaches |ΔSM|=3.10 J kg−1 K−1 at its Curie temperature (264 K) under an applied magnetic field H=10 kOe, which is almost the same value as that of pure Gd.