Pressure effects on the magnetocaloric properties of MnFeP1-x As x

We studied the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the potential magnetic-refrigerant materials MnFeP1-x As x with x=0.35 and 0.55. While applied pressure reduces both the Curie temperature and magnetic moment of the former compound, the Curie temperature of the latter is increased whereas the moment is hardly affected by pressure. The same trends are seen in the magnetocaloric properties. These results indicate a different character of the magnetism in these two materials. While the compound with x=0.35 exhibits a volume instability like a weak itinerant ferromagnet, whereas the one with x=0.55 behaves as a strong itinerant ferromagnet. An alternative scenario may be formulated within the localized-moment picture. One may interpret the effect of pressure on the compound with x=0.35 as an indication of pressure-induced enhancement of antiferromagnetic interactions. This latter interpretation is offered by a pronounced enhancement of the high-field susceptibility under pressure