Magnetocaloric properties of Co/Cr superlattices

Authors

Tathagata Mukherjee, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Sarbeswar SahooFollow
Ralph Skomski, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
David J. Sellmyer, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Christian Binek, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2009

Citation

PHYSICAL REVIEW B 79, 144406 2009; DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.79.144406

Comments

Copyright 2009 The American Physical Society.

Abstract

Nanostructured materials for refrigeration applications are experimentally realized by molecular beam epitaxial growth of Co/Cr superlattices using mean-field theoretical concepts as guiding principles. Magnetocaloric properties are deduced from measurements of the temperature and field dependence of the magnetization of our samples. More generally, the potential of artificial antiferromagnets for near room-temperature refrigeration is explored. The effects of intraplane and interplane exchange interactions on the magnetic phase diagram in Ising-type model systems are revisited in mean-field considerations with special emphasis on tailoring magnetocaloric properties. The experimental results are discussed in light of our theoretical findings, and extrapolations for future improved nanostructures are provided.