Extremely Large Magnetic Entropy Changes, Quantum Phases, Transitions and Diagram in Gd(OH)3 Single Crystal Nanowires - Quasi-1D Large Spin (S = -7/2) Chain Antiferromagnet

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic properties and quantum phase transitions in Gd(OH)3 nanowires, revealing large magnetocaloric effects and potential for low-temperature cooling applications due to quantum critical phenomena.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed experimental analysis of quantum critical points, exotic magnetic phases, and giant magnetocaloric effects in Gd(OH)3 nanowires, establishing their potential for low-temperature refrigeration.

Findings

Large reversible magnetocaloric effect surpassing other materials

Identification of quantum critical point and exotic phases

Potential for ultra-low temperature cooling applications

Abstract

Systematically magnetic and magnetothermal measurements at temperatures down to 2 K and magnetic fields up to 13.5 Tesla for Gd(OH)3 Single Crystal Nanowires - Quasi-1D Large Spin (S = -7/2) Chain Antiferromagnet have been conducted. We find that, (1) magnetic field enhances the thermal and local spin fluctuations which suppress long-range spin ordering (LRO) within the measured temperature range, and close to 0 K at the quantum critical point (QCP); (2) possible field-induced exotic local spin-liquid-like, aligned-spin, and spin-flip exotic paramagnetic phases, and transitions in the low temperature and high field range have been observed, allowing us to identify a possible quantum critical point; (3) there is extremely large, fully reversible MCE (magnetic entropy change (-{\Delta}SM) = 27.8, 66, and 88 J / kg K, adiabatic temperature change ({\Delta}Tad) = 6.7, 17.6, and 36.4 K at 2.55 K for field changes of 2, 5, and 11 T, respectively in the continuum of quantum phase transitions in this system; (4) moreover, careful experiments and analysis may allow experimental determination and set up a quantum phase diagram of this system. The magnetic-entropy change monotonically increases with decreasing temperature, and it exceeds the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in any other known low temperature reversible MCE material by at least a factor of 3. The extremely large magnetic entropy change may be attributed to the large amount of weakly interacting spins that can be easily aligned at low-lying energy in the quantum critical regime of our nanosized materials, since there is large MCE in the local spin-liquid-like (low energy excitation and even gapless state) range. These indicate that the material is a promising MCE candidate for low temperature application, and possibly could make ultra-low temperatures easily achievable for most laboratories and for space application as well.