Synthesis and magnetocaloric properties of potassium-doped manganite films

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmmm.2026.173904

The magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of epitaxial La_1-хK_хMnO₃ thin films (where K is a monovalent cation and x = 0.05–0.18), synthesized via a two-step process involving metal-organic chemical vapor deposition followed by isopiestic annealing, are presented. The magnetic entropy change (ΔS) and relative cooling power (RCP) were systematically evaluated under applied magnetic fields of up to 5 T. The films exhibit at high magnetic fields a pronounced magnetocaloric effect within the temperature range of 130–270 K. The maximum ΔS reaches up to 3.34 J/kg·K, and the RCP up to 310.7 J/kg, depending on the doping level. In contrast to bulk counterparts, the thin films demonstrate reduced magnetocaloric parameters, although the observed values are comparable to those reported for Gd-based thin films. These results emphasize the potential of thin-film structures both for the fundamental investigation of low-dimensional magnetocaloric phenomena and for the integration of magnetocaloric-active materials into microscale solid-state cooling systems. Further refinement of synthesis conditions and film architecture is essential to