Density Functional Theory Calculations of Structural,Electronic, and Magnetic Properties of the 3d Metal Trifluorides MF3 (M = Ti-Ni) in the Solid State

We employ density functional theory with Hubbard U correction or hybrid functionals to study the series of magnetic 3d metal trifluorides MF₃ (M = Ti-Ni). Experimental lattice parameters are reproduced with an error margin of 0.5%–4.3%. Cooperative Jahn–Teller distortions are reproduced for MnF₃, but also found in TiF₃ and CoF₃ at smaller levels compared to MnF₃. Trends in electronic structure with respect to positions of the d bands are linked to the magnetic properties where M = Ti-Cr are weak magnetic Mott–Hubbard insulators, M = Fe-Ni are strong magnetic charge-transfer insulators and MnF₃ falls in between. Our work contributes to the characterization of the relatively unknown NiF₃, since FeF₃ and CoF₃ have similar electronic and magnetic properties. However, NiF₃ does not show a Jahn–Teller distortion as present in CoF₃. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.