Electronic structure of fully epitaxial Co2TiSn thin films

Abstract

In this article we report on the properties of thin films of the full Heusler compound Co2TiSn prepared by DC magnetron co-sputtering. Fully epitaxial, stoichiometric films were obtained by deposition on MgO (001) substrates at substrate temperatures above 600°C. The films are well ordered in the L21 structure, and the Curie temperature exceeds slightly the bulk value. They show a significant, isotropic magnetoresistance and the resistivity becomes strongly anomalous in the paramagnetic state. The films are weakly ferrimagnetic, with nearly 1 μ_B on the Co atoms, and a small antiparallel Ti moment, in agreement with theoretical expectations. From comparison of x-ray absorption spectra on the Co L3/L2 edges, including circular and linear magnetic dichroism, with ab initio calculations of the x-ray absorption and circular dichroism spectra we infer that the electronic structure of Co2TiSn has essentially non-localized character. Spectral features that have not been explained in detail before, are explained here in terms of the final state band structure.

11 pages, 8 figures

References in corpus (4)

• Slater-Pauling Behavior of the Half-Ferromagnetic Full-Heusler Alloys
• Calculated electronic and magnetic properties of the half-metallic, transition metal based Heusler compounds
• Unusual transport properties of ferromagnetic Heusler alloy Co${}_2$TiSn
• Influence of tetragonal distortion on the magnetic and electronic properties of the Heusler compound Co2TiSn from first principles

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Itinerant and local magnetic moments in ferrimagnetic Mn2CoGa thin films probed by x-ray magnetic linear dichroism: experiment and ab initio theory
• Manifestation of the Berry curvature in Co2TiSn Heusler films
• GW study of the half-metallic Heusler compounds Co2MnSi and Co2FeSi
• Modified Becke-Johnson potential investigation of half-metallic Heusler compounds
• Experimental realization of a semiconducting full Heusler compound: Fe2TiSi
• Native defects in the Co${}_2$Ti$Z$ ($Z=$ Si, Ge, Sn) full Heusler alloys: formation and influence on the thermoelectric properties
• Insights into the electronic structure of Co2FeSi from x-ray magnetic linear dichroism
• X-ray absorption spectroscopy and magnetic circular dichroism studies of L1_0-Mn-Ga thin films