Magnetization, high pressure, and magnetocaloric studies of MnRu^sub x^Rh^sub 1-x^As (x = 0.05, 0.1): Experimental and theoretical approaches

The magnetic properties of the MnRuxRh1-xAs system with x = 0.05, 0.10 were studied under hydrostatic pressure up to 1.2 GPa in the 80–420 K temperature range. The (p,T) magnetic phase diagram was determined. The ferromagnetic component in an intermediate (AF2+f) domain was stabilized with pressure for both samples, and the critical field variation versus pressure was determined. In addition, dc magnetization measurements were performed in magnetic fields up to 10 T, and the magnetic field–induced phase transitions were pointed out. The reverse and conventional magnetocaloric effect for both compounds was analyzed. Electronic band structure computations for the MnRuAs and MnRhAs parent compounds were performed by using the Korringa–Kohn-Rostoker method. The results indicate that significant changes of electronic states in the vicinity of EF on the application of external pressure tend to favor a ferromagnetic-type ordering of the Mn magnetic moments.