Magnetic and magnetocaloric results of magnetic field-induced transitions in La1−xCexMn2Si2 (x=0.35 and 0.45) compounds

The La1−xCexMn2Si2 compounds (x=0.35 and 0.45) exhibit an antiferromagnetic–ferromagnetic transition caused by the changes in distance between Mn atoms due to temperature changes. A field-induced transition from antiferromagnetic state to ferromagnetic state at a critical field, which decreases with increase in temperature, can also be induced by applying a magnetic field. In this paper our aim is to study the magnetization and magnetocaloric effect, close to transition temperatures. Our subsidiary aim is to examine the temperature dependence of critical field and ferromagnetic fraction of compounds. The variation of magnetocaloric effect with temperature is correlated with the ferromagnetic–antiferromagnetic phase coexistence. Our final aim is to examine the harmony between magnetocaloric effect values calculated both by the Maxwell theory and by the Landau theory.