Half-metallic compositional ranges for selected Heusler alloys

Abstract

For a material that is a half-metal, there should exist a range of compositions for half-metallicity. This compositional range can be expressed in terms of electron count and computed. We investigate electronic and magnetic properties of doped full- and half-Heusler alloys (stoichiometry XYZ2 and XYZ, respectively) with elements X from groups 13-16 and periods 3-6 of the Periodic Table, Y={Mn, Fe}, and Z={Co, Ni}. Using spin density functional theory, we predict shifts of the Fermi energy in the doped and solid-solution alloys. These predictions can be used for band-gap engineering of multicomponent half-metals and provide the viable range of compositions, such as for a range of n=x+y+z in (Co${}_{2-z}N{i}_z)$(Mn${}_{1-y}$Fe${}_y$)(Sn${}_{1-x}$Sb${}_x$). This methodology for doped and chemically disordered half-metallic alloys offers a design approach to electronic-structure engineering that can accelerate development of half-metals for novel electronic and spintronic applications.

13 pages, 14 figures, 6 tables

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