High-quality single crystal of a novel cerium silicide CeRh_3Si_2, crystallizing with the orthorhombic ErRh_3Si_2-type structure, was grown by the Czochralski pulling method and studied by means of specific heat measurements. The antiferromagnetic ordering of the compound manifests itself as a pronounced lambda-shaped anomaly at T_N = 4.72(3) K, and is followed by a spike-shaped anomaly due to spin reorientation at T_t = 4.48(2) K, in good agreement with the previously reported magnetic susceptibility data. Both transitions are very sensitive to applied magnetic field - they split into four separate anomalies, which independently shift to lower temperatures with rising field. Several scenarios are proposed as possible explanations of the multi-step character of the magnetic ordering in CeRh_3Si_2.
The magnetocaloric effect in RCu_2Ge_2 (R = Dy-Tm) was investigated by means of specific heat measurements. The compounds order antiferromagnetically at 6.2 K (DyCu_2Ge_2), 5.6 K (HoCu_2Ge_2), 3.0 K (ErCu_2Ge_2), and 3.9 K (TmCu_2Ge_2), and some of them exhibit additional magnetic transitions in the ordered state. In an external magnetic field the low-temperature specific heat changes significantly, which can be attributed to metamagnetic-like transitions. In this temperature region, the investigated samples show distinctly different magnetocaloric effect.
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