Theoretical calculations of the magnetocaloric effect in La(FexSi1-x)13La(FexSi1-x)13

In this paper we calculate the magnetocaloric effect in the compounds La(FexSi1-x)13.La(FexSi1-x)13. We use a microscopical model in the picture of the band theory, where the Coulomb interaction between itinerant electrons is treated in the mean field approach and the disorder is dealt with the coherent potential approximation. We also include phenomenologically the magnetoelastic coupling via the renormalization of the electron dispersion relation and the Debye temperature. The calculated isothermal entropy changes and the adiabatic temperature changes upon magnetic field variations are in good agreement with the available experimental data.