Publication

Abstract : A series of Gd1−xHoxMnO3 (x = 0, 0.1 and 0.2) compounds known to exhibit multiferroic properties has been investigated for their structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the presence of single orthorhombic phase at room temperature in all the compositions. Low temperature magnetocaloric properties of these compounds have been studied through specific heat measurements in the temperature range of 0–80 K under different magnetic fields of 0, 2 and 5 T. These studies also revealed the existence of Mn3+ ordering transition and lock-in transition (Tlock) near 40 K and 20 K, respectively. These compounds displayed antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of Gd3+ ions at low temperatures below 10 K. The magnetocaloric effect has been quantified in terms of the magnetic entropy change (ΔS)M and adiabatic temperature change (ΔT)ad in the vicinity of AFM transitions.