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 (1207.3239v1)

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.