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Ultra-Low-Temperature Magnetic Refrigeration Materials: Synthesis, Characterization and Mechanism Research

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Physics General".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 January 2026) | Viewed by 3167

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Wentao Jin

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Guest Editor

School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Interests: strongly correlated electron materials; quantum magnetism; superconductivity; neutron scattering

Dr. Hai-Feng Li

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Guest Editor

Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade Taipa, Macau 999078, China
Interests: materials synthesis; functional quantum materials; X-ray and neutron scattering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ultra-low-temperature magnetic refrigeration materials are mainly various paramagnetic salts or quantum magnets that exhibit prominent magnetocaloric effects through adiabatic demagnetization in sub-Kelvin temperatures. They are important coolants in applications such as deep-space explorations, quantum computations, etc., especially in the context of persistent concerns about global helium shortages.

In this Special Issue, we invite submissions that explore cutting-edge research and recent advances in the fields of synthesis, characterizations, and mechanism research of ultra-low-temperature magnetic refrigeration materials. Both theoretical and experimental studies are welcome to be submitted, as well as comprehensive review and survey papers.

Dr. Wentao Jin
Dr. Hai-Feng Li
Guest Editors

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Keywords

ultra-low-temperature refrigeration
magnetocaloric effect
hydrated paramagnetic salts
quantum magnets

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1340 KB

Open AccessArticle

Direct Sub-Kelvin Magnetocaloric Cooling and Correlated Paramagnetism in Double Perovskite Gd₂CuTiO₆

by Yalu Cao, Xinyang Liu, Yonglin Wang, Cheng Su, Zhixing Hu, Junsen Xiang and Wentao Jin

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(5), 2456; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16052456 - 3 Mar 2026

Viewed by 273

Abstract

Adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration (ADR) has attracted considerable attention as an effective approach to reach ultra-low temperatures required for fundamental physics and quantum technologies. Here we directly characterize the cryogenic magnetocaloric performance of the rare-earth-based double-perovskite oxide Gd₂CuTiO₆ (GCTO) through quasi-adiabatic demagnetization measurements. Magnetization measurements show no long-range magnetic transition above 1.8 K and indicate dominant antiferromagnetic (AFM) interactions, consistent with an AFM ordering temperature of

T_{N} \approx 1.15

K reported previously. Notably, the isothermal magnetization

M (H)

at 1.8 K deviates from an ideal single-ion Brillouin response and is better described by a molecular-field correction for the Gd sublattice, suggesting correlated paramagnetism persisting above

T_{N}

. In contrast to previous studies that inferred cooling performance from thermodynamic estimates, we directly validate the achievable sub-Kelvin cooling in GCTO through quasi-adiabatic measurements. In the quasi-ADR process starting from

T_{0}

∼2 K, demagnetization fields of 4, 6, and 9 T yield minimum temperatures of

T_{\min} = 761.5

, 452.4, and 289.2 mK, respectively, well below

T_{N}

. After complete removal of the magnetic field, the sample temperature remains highly stable for at least several tens of minutes, demonstrating a long hold time under quasi-adiabatic conditions. Moreover, the

T (H)

curves reveal a characteristic field scale around

H_{c}

∼1 T, implying a field-induced modification of the low-temperature magnetic-entropy landscape that is relevant to the cooling behavior during demagnetization. These results highlight GCTO as a promising magnetic refrigerant for sub-Kelvin ADR applications and underscore the role of correlated magnetism in optimizing cryogenic magnetocaloric performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ultra-Low-Temperature Magnetic Refrigeration Materials: Synthesis, Characterization and Mechanism Research)

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16 pages, 1484 KB

Open AccessArticle

Sub-1 K Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigeration with Rare-Earth Borates Ba₃XB₉O₁₈ and Ba₃XB₃O₉, X = (Yb, Gd)

by Marvin Klinger, Tim Treu, Felix Kreisberger, Christian Heil, Anna Klinger, Anton Jesche and Philipp Gegenwart

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(1), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16010290 - 27 Dec 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 961

Abstract

Adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration (ADR) is regaining relevance for refrigeration to temperatures below 1 K as global helium-3 supply is increasingly strained. While ADR at these temperatures is long established with paramagnetic hydrated salts, more recently, frustrated rare-earth oxides were found to offer higher entropy densities and practical advantages, since they do not degrade under heating or evacuation. We report structural, magnetic, and thermodynamic properties of the rare-earth borates Ba₃XB₉O₁₈ and Ba₃XB₃O₉ with X = (Yb, Gd). Except for Ba₃GdB₉O₁₈, which orders at 108 mK, the three other materials remain paramagnetic down to their lowest measured temperatures. ADR performance starting at 2 K in a field of 5 T is analyzed and compared to literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ultra-Low-Temperature Magnetic Refrigeration Materials: Synthesis, Characterization and Mechanism Research)

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10 pages, 2905 KB

Open AccessArticle

Magnetism and Low-Temperature Magnetocaloric Effect in Gd₇(BO₃)(PO₄)₂O₆ Compound with Monoclinic Lattice

by Lu Tian, Xuetong He, Zhiwen Shen, Xinqiang Gao and Zhaojun Mo

Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(7), 3802; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15073802 - 31 Mar 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1200

Abstract

The development of magnetic refrigerants with both low-field responsiveness and a large magnetic entropy change in the sub-Kelvin temperature range remains a critical challenge for advancing cryogenic technologies. This study focuses on the monoclinic compound Gd₇(BO₃)(PO₄)₂O₆, in which high-density Gd³⁺ ions form magnetic frustrated structures within the bc-plane and stack along the a-axis direction. The combination of a high magnetic ion density and frustrated magnetic configuration enables the coexistence of a low magnetic transition temperature and excellent magnetocaloric effects. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal an antiferromagnetic-to-paramagnetic phase transition below 2 K. The maximum magnetic entropy change reaches 35.2 J kg⁻¹ K⁻¹ under a varying magnetic field of 0–7 T. This study highlights the potential of frustrated magnetic interactions in monoclinic lattices with a high Gd³⁺ content for achieving superior cryogenic magnetocaloric performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ultra-Low-Temperature Magnetic Refrigeration Materials: Synthesis, Characterization and Mechanism Research)

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