First-Order Phase Transition in Perovskites Pr${}_{0.67}$Sr${}_{0.33}$MnO${}_3$ - Magneto-Caloric Properties -- Effect of Multi-Spin Interaction

Abstract

We show by extensive Monte Carlo simulations that we need a multi-spin interaction in addition to pairwise interactions in order to reproduce the temperature dependence of the experimental magnetization observed in the perovskite compound Pr${}_{0.67}$Sr${}_{0.33}$MnO${}_3$. The multi-spin interaction is introduced in the Hamiltonian as follows: each spin interacts simultaneously with its four nearest-neighbors. It does not have the reversal invariance as in a pairwise interaction where reversing the directions of two spins leaves the interaction energy invariant. As a consequence, it competes with the pairwise interactions between magnetic ions. The multi-spin interaction allows the sample magnetization $M$ to increase, to decrease or to have a plateau with increasing $T$. In this paper we show that $M$ increases with increasing $T$ before making a vertical fall at the transition temperature $T_C$, in contrast to the usual decrease of $M$ with increasing $T$ in most of magnetic systems. This result is in an excellent agreement with the experimental data observed in Pr${}_{0.67}$Sr${}_{0.33}$MnO${}_3$. Furthermore, we show by the energy histogram taken at $T_C$ that the transition is clearly of first order. We also calculate the magnetic entropy change $|\Delta S_m|$ and the Relative Cooling Power (RCP) by using the set of curves of $M$ obtained under an applied magnetic field $H$ varying from 0 to 5 Tesla across the transition temperature region. We obtain a good agreement with experiments on $|\Delta S_m|$ and the values of RCP. This perovskite compound has a good potential in refrigeration application due to its high RCP.

12 pages, 8 figures