Three-dimensional critical behavior and anisotropic magnetic entropy change in quasi-two-dimensional LaCrSb3

The critical properties and magnetic entropy change of quasi-two-dimensional LaCrSb3 single crystals have been systematically investigated. The ferromagnetic transition is determined to be of a second order. Critical exponents beta = 0.298(7) with a critical temperature T-c = 132.0(2) K and gamma = 1.277(9) with T-c = 132.5(3) K are yielded by the modified Arrott plot, whereas delta = 5.28(9) is deduced by a critical isotherm analysis at T = 132 K. The critical exponents of quasi-two-dimensional LaCrSb3 exhibit a three-dimensional critical behavior. The magnetic interaction is found to be of a long range and the magnetic exchange distance decays as J(r) approximate to r(-4.9), which lies between the mean-field model and 3D Heisenberg model. Furthermore, the magnetic entropy change -Delta S-M features a maximum around T-c, i.e., -Delta S-M(max) similar to 3.4, 5.9, and 5.8 J kg(-1) K-1 for a field change of 5 T applied the H//a, b, and c axes, respectively. The rotating magnetic entropy change Delta S-M(R)(T, H) between the a and b axes (the a and c axes) reaches a maximum value of 2.55 (2.49) J kg(-1) K-1 around T-c, exhibiting strong anisotropic features. However, Delta S-M(R)(T, H) between the b and c axes is similar to 0 J kg(-1) K-1 at T > T-c displaying a nearly isotropic behavior, and is less than 0.3 J kg(-1) K-1 at T < T-c showing weak anisotropy.