Theoretical investigations on magnetocaloric effect in Er1−yTbyAl2 series

Abstract We report on the magnetic and magnetocaloric effect calculations in rare earth Er 1− y Tb y Al 2 compounds ( y =0.00, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.00). Our model Hamiltonian has contributions of the crystalline electrical field anisotropy in both Er and Tb magnetic sublattices, disorder in exchange interactions among Er–Er, Tb–Tb and Er–Tb magnetic ions and the Zeeman effect. The magnetization, the isothermal entropy change (Δ S T ) and the adiabatic temperature change (Δ T ad ) dependence on temperature were simulated and, compared with the experimental data available.