Magnetic phase diagram, magnetotransport and inverse magnetocaloric effect in the noncollinear antiferromagnet Mn$_5$Si$_3$

Abstract

The antiferromagnet Mn$_5$Si$_3$ has recently attracted attention because a noncollinear spin arrangement has been shown to produce a topological anomalous Hall effect and an inverse magnetocaloric effect. Here we synthesize single crystals of Mn$_5$Si$_3$ using flux growth. We determine the phase diagram through magnetization and measure the magnetoresistance and the Hall effect. We find the collinear and noncollinear antiferromagnetic phases at low temperatures and, in addition, a third magnetic phase, in between the two antiferromagnetic phases which has ferromagnetic character. The latter magnetic phase might be caused by strain produced by Cu inclusions that lead to quenched fluctuations of the mixed character magnetic ordering in this compound.