The European Physical Journal B (EPJ B)

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Eur. Phys. J. B 40, 427-431 (2004)
DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2004-00274-x

Dynamics of the first-order magnetostructural transition in Gd $\mathsf$ (Si $\mathsf$ Ge $\mathsf}$ ) $\mathsf$

F. Casanova¹, A. Labarta¹, X. Batlle¹, E. Vives², J. Marcos², L. Mañosa² and A. Planes²

¹ Departament de Física Fonamental, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
² Departament d'Estructura i Constituents de la Matèria, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

amilcar@ffn.ub.es
xavier@ffn.ub.es

(Received 30 January 2004 / Received in final form 1st June 2004 / Published online 7 September 2004)

Abstract
The dynamics at a mesoscopic scale of the first-order magnetostructural transition in a Gd ₅(Si _xGe _1-x) ₄ alloy with x=0.05 is studied. We examine the effect of inducing the transition either by T or H on the entropy change. In addition, we analyse the avalanches between metastable states during the transition. The athermal character of the transition is evidenced. It is also shown that cycling through the transition leads to a reproducible pattern with no characteristic size of the avalanches.

PACS
75.30.Sg - Magnetocaloric effect, magnetic cooling.
75.30.Kz - Magnetic phase boundaries.
64.70.Kb - Solid-solid transitions.

© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2004

Dynamics of the first-order magnetostructural transition in Gd (Si Ge )

Dynamics of the first-order magnetostructural transition in Gd $\mathsf$ (Si $\mathsf$ Ge $\mathsf}$ ) $\mathsf$