Interplay between magnetism and magnetocaloric effect in NdCuSi

Abstract

We report the magnetic, thermal, magnetocaloric and transport properties of polycrystalline NdCuSi. The compound shows a weak antiferromagnetic ordering, as confirmed by different measurements. Arrott plots indicate that the magnetic phase transition is found to be second order in nature. The isothermal magnetic entropy change calculated using the magnetization data gives a value of 11.1 J/kg K for a field change of 50 kOe. The follows h2/3 dependence (h is the reduced field) with a negative intercept, which is predicted by mean field theory for second order phase transitions. Landau theory of phase transition was applied to calculate change in entropy, which was found to be in good agreement with that calculated directly from the magnetization data. Temperature dependence of electrical resistivity shows a pronounced anomaly at the ordering temperature, which is attributed to the spin fluctuations.