Structural phase coexistence and magnetocaloric effect in fast‐neutron‐irradiated Ce(Fe_0.96Ru_0.04)₂ intermetallic compound

Abstract

We have presented direct evidence of crystallographic structural phase coexistence in a fast-neutron-irradiated Ce (Fe 0.96 Ru 0.04 ) 2 intermetallic compound. The ferromagnetic (FM) cubic phase slowly transforms into antiferromagnetic (AFM) rhombohedral phase at low temperature. Though the FM to AFM transition is first order in nature, the coexistence continues well below the transition temperature. Using Maxwell's relation we have deduced the magnetic entropy change, DS M . Remnant FM domains nucleated around the quenched defects, created by fast-neutron irradiation, is principally responsible for a diminution of DS M . ß 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim 220 V. Dube et al.: Structural phase coexistence in neutron irradiated Ce(Fe 0.96 Ru 0.04 ) 2