Metamagnetic phase transition in Mn<sub>5</sub>Si<sub>3</sub> compound

The electrical resistance of the Mn5Si3 compound in magnetic fields up to 2 T at cryogenic temperatures in the range from 35 K to 90 K was studied. The characteristic temperatures of the magnetic phase transition TN1 and TN2 were determined based on the results of measuring the heat capacity at constant pressure CP, magnetization M and specific electrical resistance ρ. It was shown that the behavior of the ρ(T) curves differs depending on the measurement conditions and protocol. Based on the results of measuring the magnetocaloric properties in strong magnetic fields up to 10 T at cryogenic temperatures in the range from 25 to 125 K, both the inverse and conventional magnetocaloric effects were observed. The maximum value of the inverse magnetocaloric effect was ∆Tad = –1.1 K at an initial temperature T0 = 50 K in a magnetic field of 10 T. Conventional magnetocaloric effect with a maximum value of ∆Tad = +0.9 K is observed at T0 = 62.5 K in a field of 10 T. A local exponent of field distribution of entropy n is determined, the value of which n > 2 confirms the type and existence of a first-order phase transition.