Magnetocaloric effect in transition metals based compounds: a theoretical approach

In this paper we study the magnetocaloric effect in transition metals based compounds. For this purpose, we use a microscopical model, based on the band theory of magnetism, where the magnetic lattice is coupled with the crystalline lattice and with the external magnetic field. We apply the model to calculate the magnetocaloric effect in the compound MnAs, which undergoes a first order magnetic phase transition. The theoretically calculated isothermal entropy changes and the adiabatic temperature changes upon magnetic field variation exhibit a good agreement with the available experimental data. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg 2004