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Magnetic cooling by an adiabatic spin reorientation

Journal Article · · IEEE Trans. Magn.; (United States)

A new method of magnetic cooling is proposed by using an adiabatic entropy change associated with a spin reorientation transition. This is available for a magnetic refrigerator operating under a weaker magnetic field than an ordinary method using a superconducting magnet to cool a paramagnetic crystal. The single crystal and sintered samples of ErCrO/sub 3/ were adopted as a prototype material. The sample was set in the adiabatic cell and put in a sweeping magnetic field. The cooling was observed in the range from 2 to 11 K. A maximum cooling of 0.4 degrees was obtained for the single crystal just below the transition temperature TSR (= 9.8 K) in a magnetic field of 200 Oe after applying the correction of the demagnetizing effect. The entropy vs temperature diagram of ErCrO/sub 3/ was determined from measurements of the specific heat. The complete analogy between thermodynamic properties of the spin reorientation transition with those of a liquid-gas system suggests a possibility of an application to a heat engine. Such a device might be useful for maintaining a temperature lower than the transition temperature by a permanent magnet.

Research Organization:
Broadcasting Science Research Laboratories of NHK, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
OSTI ID:
5226320
Journal Information:
IEEE Trans. Magn.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Magn.; (United States) Vol. MAG-20:5; ISSN IEMGA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English