Magnetic properties and large magneto-caloric effect in the amorphous Ho0.2Tm0.2Gd0.2Co0.2Al0.2 ribbon.

We fabricated the amorphous Ho 0.2 Tm 0.2 Gd 0.2 Co 0.2 Al 0.2 ribbon by melt-spun method and systematically investigated its glass forming ability (GFA) and magnetic properties, especially of the magnetic phase transition (MPT) and magneto-caloric (MC) effect. The melt-spun Ho 0.2 Tm 0.2 Gd 0.2 Co 0.2 Al 0.2 ribbon is found to exhibit a fully amorphous structure and good GFA. The amorphous Ho 0.2 Tm 0.2 Gd 0.2 Co 0.2 Al 0.2 ribbon undergoes a second order type MPT around 32.6 K from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic state. Large reversible low temperature MC effect and good MC performances in the amorphous Ho 0.2 Tm 0.2 Gd 0.2 Co 0.2 Al 0.2 ribbon were realized which was identified by the parameters of magnetic entropy change, temperature-averaged entropy change, and refrigerant capacity. These parameters are are at similarly high level with recently reported low temperature MC materials, making the amorphous Ho 0.2 Tm 0.2 Gd 0.2 Co 0.2 Al 0.2 ribbon also attractive for magnetic cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]