Observation of Griffiths phase and giant magnetocaloric effect in double perovskite oxide RE₂FeCrO₆ (RE = Gd, Tb, Dy, Er)

Abstract

The magnetic properties of double perovskite oxide RE2FeCrO6 (RE = GD, Tb, Dy, Er) were systematically studied, and the Griffiths phase evolution was observed. In Tb2FeCrO6, Dy2FeCrO6, and Er2FeCrO6, there are antiferromagnetic (AFM)‐ferromagnetic (FM) first‐order phase transition and the Griffiths phase with coexistence of FM and paramagnetic (PM) was observed by the EPR spectra. Gd2FeCrO6 has an AFM–PM second‐order phase transition, and there is no first‐order phase transition in the range of ∆H = 0–50 kOe. As the temperature decreases, all four sets of samples present χ−1 (T) deviates downwards from the Curie–Weiss linear behavior from 0.2 to 5 kOe, corresponding to the typical characteristics of Griffiths phase evolution. In addition, all four sets of samples have excellent magnetocaloric performance. Especially, the Gd2FeCrO6 oxide has giant magnetic entropy change and relative cooling power (−∆SMmax = 30.31 J/kg K and RCP = 312.8 J/kg when ∆H = 50 kOe). From the perspective of low‐temperature magnetic refrigeration application, the present work provides important candidate references for magnetic component researchers.