Investigation of the critical behavior in Mn[sub 0.94]Nb[sub 0.06]CoGe alloy by using the field dependence of magnetic entropy change

Abstract

The critical behaviour of Mn0.94Nb0.06CoGe alloy around the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition was studied based on the field dependence on magnetic entropy change. By using the obtained exponents, the modified Arrott plot is consistent with that by using conventional method. These critical exponents are confirmed by the Widom scaling relation. Based on these critical exponents, the magnetization, field and temperature data around Tc collapse into two curves obeying the single scaling equation M(H, epsilon) = epsilon(beta)f+/-(H/epsilon(beta+gamma)). The calculated critical exponents not only obey the scaling theory but also anastomose the deduced results from the Kouvel-Fisher method [J. S. Kouvel and M. E. Fisher, Phys. Rev. 136, A1626 (1964)]. The values deduced for the critical exponents in the Mn0.94Nb0.06CoGe alloy are close to the theoretical prediction of the mean-field model, indicating that the magnetic interactions are long range. This method eliminates the drawback due to utilization of multistep nonlinear fitting in a conventional manner. So it provides an alternative method to investigate the critical behaviour. © 2013 American Institute of Physics.