Magnetic, magnetocaloric and magnetoresistive properties of cubic Laves phase HoAl2 single crystal

We report the magnetization (M) and magnetoresistance (MR) results of HoAl2 single crystals oriented along the 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 directions. Although HoAl2 has cubic Laves phase structure, a large anisotropy is observed in M and MR below the Curie temperature (TC). A satisfactory correlation between magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) and MR could be established along 〈110〉 and also 〈100〉, except for the temperature (T) region around which spin reorientation takes place. Large inverse magnetocaloric effect is observed at low T, which is associated with the spin reorientation process in the 〈100〉 direction. A theoretical model based on the Landau theory of phase transition can describe the T-variation of −ΔSM for T > TC. (paper)