Coexistence of symmetrical inverse and conventional entropy changes in ErIn3 single crystal for cryogenic magnetic refrigeration

The coexistence of inverse (IMCE) and conventional (CMCE) magnetocaloric effects provides a new approach for utilizing both magnetization and demagnetization processes in cryogenic magnetic refrigeration. In this paper, we investigate the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of an ErIn3 single crystal. An antiferromagnetic transition near TN = 5.5 K and field-induced metamagnetic transition below TN were observed by magnetization measurements. The magnetic entropy changes of −7.65 J/kg K at 2.5 K and +9.31 J/kg K at 6.5 K are obtained under a magnetic-field change of 0–5 T. ErIn3 can be regarded as a promising rare-earth magnetocaloric material exhibiting large inverse and conventional entropy changes with comparable amplitudes near the liquid-helium temperature.