Large magnetocaloric effect and giant magnetoresistance in rare earth based intermetallic compound ErAl3: construction of magnetic phase diagram

This study explores the magnetic and magnetotransport behavior of polycrystalline ErAl3 compound. The polycrystalline compound adopts HoAl3-type structures with the R-3m space group, No. 166-2 and hR60 configurations. Multiple magnetic orderings and two field-induced metamagnetic transitions are observed. ErAl3 exhibits a significant magnetocaloric effect (MCE), -Delta S-M = 15.25 J kg(-1) K-1 and high relative cooling power of 383 J kg(-1) with applied magnetic field change (Delta H) of 70 kOe near the paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition, showcasing its potential for magnetic refrigeration technology. The compound also demonstrates metallic behavior, with a notable magnetoresistance of 48.5% at 2 K due to the suppression of antiferromagnetism. The magnetic phase diagram reveals four distinct phases influenced by temperature and magnetic field, identified through the study of the MCE.