Variations of magnetocaloric effect and magnetoresistance across RCuGe (R=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er) compounds

• RCuGe (R=Tb–Er) compounds show low temperature antiferromagnetic ordering.
• All compounds show field induced metamagnetic transitions.
• These compounds show large magnetocaloric effect and magnetoresistance.

RCuGe (R=Tb–Er) compounds have been studied by structural, magnetic, magnetocaloric and magnetotransport measurements. All these compounds are iso-structural and show antiferromagnetic ordering below their Néel temperatures (TN). Except TbCuGe, all the studied compounds show large magnetocaloric effect (MCE), arising due to the field induced metamagnetic transition. They also show a sign reversal of magnetoresistance (MR) with change in temperature or field. The non-monotonic variation of the magnitude of MR is attributed to the competing effects of Lorentz force, changes in the spin disorder scattering and the spin fluctuations.