Magnetocaloric effect near a second-order magnetic phase transition

The temperature and magnetic field dependences of the magnetocaloric effect (adiabatic temperature change Δ T) were measured in single crystalline and polycrystalline Gd near the Curie point ( T C) using direct method with continuously changing magnetic field ( H) at different rates and the more conventional stepping of the magnetic field. The peculiarities in Δ T( H) behavior are discussed. The Curie temperature of Gd was obtained by means of Belov–Goryaga (Arrott) plots on the basis of magnetization and magnetocaloric data, and from AC susceptibility measurements. The differences in the obtained values and possible reasons of the differences are discussed.