Large anisotropic magnetocaloric effect in antiferromagnetic TmGa_0.31Si_1.31 single crystal with <i>α</i>-GdSi₂-type structure

Abstract We report the anisotropic magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects of the antiferromagnetic TmGa 0.31 Si 1.31 single crystal grown via the Ga flux method. This compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic α -GdSi 2 type structure with the space group Imma , exhibiting antiferromagnetic order and strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy below the Néel temperature ( T N = 4.5 K). Under increasing magnetic fields, TmGa 0.31 Si 1.31 undergoes a field-induced spin–flip transition when the field is applied along the ab plane, whereas a spin-flop transition occurs for the field along the c axis. Under the magnetic field changes of 0–20 and 0–50 kOe, the maximum magnetic entropy changes along the ab plane reach −14.6 and −20.5 J kg −1 K −1 , respectively. Additionally, a substantial maximum rotating magnetic entropy change of −13.1 J kg −1 K −1 is obtained by rotating the magnetic field from the ab plane to c axis under 20 kOe. These favorable MCE properties highlight TmGa 0.31 Si 1.31 as a promising candidate for advanced magnetic refrigeration applications in the liquid helium temperature regime.