Field-induced magnetization steps in intermetallic compounds and manganese oxides: The martensitic scenario

Abstract

Field-induced magnetization jumps with similar characteristics are observed at low temperature for the intermetallic germanide ${\mathrm{Gd}}_{5}{\mathrm{Ge}}_{4}$ and the mixed-valent manganite ${\mathrm{Pr}}_{0.6}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{0.4}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{0.96}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{0.04}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}.$ We report that the field location---and even the existence---of these jumps depends critically on the magnetic field sweep rate used to record the data. It is proposed that, for both compounds, the martensitic character of their antiferromagnetic-to-ferromagnetic transitions is at the origin of the magnetization steps.