The Effect of Gd Impurities on the Physical Properties of Half-Metallic Ferromagnet Co2MnSi |
| R. Grasin, E. Vinteler, A. Bezergheanu, C. Rusu, R. Pacurariu, I.G. Deac and R. Tetean
Faculty of Physics, Babes-Bolyai University, Kogalniceanu 1, RO-400084, Cluj Napoca, Romania |
| Received: January 26, 2010; in final form: August 4, 2010 |
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| In this paper we report our experimental and theoretical studies on the effect of Gd impurity on the physical properties of the Heusler half-metallic ferromagnet Co2MnSi. The analysis of the band structures of the doped alloy shows that the half-metallic properties are completely conserved if Gd substitutes Mn atoms. This effect is not determined by the spin-orbit interaction, but through the coupling between the R(4f) spin with the Mn(3d) itinerant electron spins. We evaluate the strength of such a coupling by calculating, in an ab initio fashion, the total energy of Co16GdMn7Si8 compound for a parallel and antiparallel f-d coupling. The obtained magnetic moments of Co or Mn sites are in good agreement with the experimental ones. |
| DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.118.648 PACS numbers: 71.70.Ej, 71.55.Ak, 73.20.Hb |