Enhanced magnetocaloric effect from Cr substitution in Ising lanthanide gallium garnets $L{n}_3{\text{CrGa}}_4{\text{O}}_{12}$ ($Ln$ = Tb, Dy, Ho)

A detailed study on the crystal structure and bulk magnetic properties of Cr substituted Ising type lanthanide gallium garnets $L{n}_3{\text{CrGa}}_4{\text{O}}_{12}$ ($Ln$ = Tb, Dy, Ho) has been carried out using room temperature powder X-Ray and neutron diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, isothermal magnetisation and heat capacity measurements. The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in $L{n}_3{\text{CrGa}}_4{\text{O}}_{12}$ is compared to that of $L{n}_3{\text{Ga}}_5{\text{O}}_{12}$. In lower magnetic fields attainable by a permanent magnet ($\le$ 2 T), Cr substitution greatly enhances the MCE by 20% for $Ln$ = Dy and 120% for $Ln$ = Ho compared to the unsubstituted $L{n}_3{\text{Ga}}_5{\text{O}}_{12}$. This is likely due to changes in the magnetic ground state as Cr substitution also significantly reduces the frustration in the magnetic lattice for the Ising type $L{n}_3{\text{Ga}}_5{\text{O}}_{12}$.