Peculiarities of the electronic transport in Co2CrAl and Co2CrGa half-metallic ferromagnets

We present results on the transport properties of the half-metallic ferromagnetic Heusler alloys Co₂CrAl and Co₂CrGa in the temperature range from 4 to 900 K. The peculiarities of the resistivity and the absolute differential thermoelectric power are considered within a two-current model of conductivity, taking into account the energy gap at the Fermi level in the electronic spectrum of alloys for electrons with spin opposite to the direction of the magnetization vector.     

Electrical properties of ferromagnetic Ni2MnGa and Co2CrGa Heusler alloys

The electrical properties of ferromagnetic Ni₂MnGa and Co₂CrGa Heusler alloys are measured in the temperature range 4–900 K. The effect of the energy gap near the Fermi level in the electronic spectrum on the behavior of electrical resistivity and absolute differential thermopower is discussed.     

Magnetic microstructure of candidates for epitaxial dual Heusler magnetic tunnel junctions

Heusler alloys are considered as interesting ferromagnetic electrode materials for magnetic tunnel junctions, because of their high spin polarization. We, therefore, investigated the micromagnetic properties in a prototypical thin film system comprising two different Heusler phases Co₂MnSi (CMS) and Co₂FeSi (CFS) separated by a MgO barrier. The magnetic microstructure was investigated by X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM). We find a strong influence of the Heusler phase formation process on the magnetic domain patterns. SiO₂/V/CMS/MgO/CFS and SiO₂/V/CFS/MgO/CMS trilayer structures exhibit a strikingly different magnetic behavior, which is due to pinhole coupling through the MgO barrier and a strong thickness dependence of the magnetic ordering in Co₂MnSi.     

Specific features of the electrical resistance of half-metallic ferromagnetic alloys Co2CrAl and Co2CrGa

It has been shown by comparing the results of studying the electrical and magnetic properties of the half-metallic ferromagnetic Heusler alloys Co₂CrAl and Co₂CrGa with the calculations of their electronic structure that high values of the electrical resistivity ρ are caused by a disordered distribution of atoms over the sites of the L2₁ cubic structure, and the anomalous behavior of ρ(T) is associated with the transformation of the electronic spectrum due to the ferromagnetic-to-paramagnetic transition.     

Defects-driven appearance of half-metallic ferrimagnetism in Co-Mn-based Heusler alloys

Half-metallic ferromagnetic full-Heusler alloys containing Co and Mn, having the formula Co₂MnZ where Z is a sp element, are among the most studied Heusler alloys due to their stable ferromagnetism and the high Curie temperatures which they present. Using state-of-the-art electronic structure calculations we show that when Mn atoms migrate to sites occupied in the perfect alloys by Co, these Mn atoms have spin moments antiparallel to the other transition metal atoms. The ferrimagnetic compounds, which result from this procedure, keep the half-metallic character of the parent compounds and the large exchange-splitting of the Mn impurities atoms only marginally affects the width of the gap in the minority-spin band. The case of [Co_1−xMn_x]₂MnSi is of particular interest since Mn₃Si is known to crystallize in the Heusler L2₁ lattice structure of Co₂MnZ compounds. Robust half-metallic ferrimagnets are highly desirable for realistic applications since they lead to smaller energy losses due to the lower external magnetic fields created with respect to their ferromagnetic counterparts.     

Investigation of half-metallic and magnetic phase transition in Co2TiZ (Z = Al,Ga, In) Heusler alloys

ABSTRACT

The half-metallic and ferromagnetic properties of Co₂TiZ (Z?=?Al, Ga, In) Heusler alloys are investigated. The structural stability is analyzed among the two possible structures, namely, L2₁ (Cu₂MnAl phase) and XA (Hg₂CuTi phase) structures. It is found that these alloys are stable in L2₁ (Cu₂MnAl phase) structure. The electronic structure of Co₂TiZ reveals that these alloys exhibit half-metallic ferromagnetism with small spin-flip gap at the minority spin state. As the pressure is increased, ferromagnetic to non-magnetic phase transition is observed at the pressures of 380.9, 363.0 and 317.8?GPa for Co₂TiAl, Co₂TiGa and Co₂TiIn, respectively. Half-metallic to metallic phase transition occurs in Co₂TiAl, Co₂TiGa and Co₂TiIn at the pressures of 76.5?GPa, 73.1?GPa and 63.9?GPa respectively.     

Magnetic and magneto-optical properties of heusler alloys based on aluminium and gallium

The authors have studied a number of alloys of the type X₂YZ, where X represents a 3d transition metal (or Cu), Y a second 3d transition metal or one of the elements La, Th, Zr, Hf, Ta, Nb, W or Mo, and Z either Al or Ga. It was found that only a limited number of these combinations leads to the cubic L2₁ Heusler-type compounds. The lattice constants of these compounds were determined. The formation of the Heusler L2₁-type phase was compared with model predictions. A study to the magnetic properties and the room temperature Kerr rotation of the L2₁-type Heusler compounds showed that there is hardly any correlation between the Kerr rotation in the ferromagnetic Heusler alloys and the corresponding magnetization. In the Co₂YAl and Co₂YGa series the moment per Co atom and the electronegativity difference between Co and the Y component showed a linear dependence.     

A neutron diffraction and magnetization study of Heusler alloys containing Co and Zr,Hf, V or Nb

Neutron diffraction, X-ray diffraction and saturation magnetization measurements have been made on a series of ferromagnetic alloys at the composition Co₂YZ, where Y is a group IVA or VA element and Z is a group IIIB or IVB element. The alloys are mainly ordered in the Heusler L2₁ type chemical structure, but some show the presence of a small amount of additional phase, or some preferential disorder.The magnetic results form two distinct groups in which the moments are confined to the Co sites but their magnitude depends on the electron concentration determined by the Y and Z atoms. Although the magnetic moments and Curie temperatures of the alloys in the same group are similar, their lattice parameters differ according to whether Z is a group IIIB or IVB element. Such behaviour indicates that, as in other alloy series with the Heusler structure, a change in lattice parameter has little effect on the magnetic properties in comparison with the effect of a change in electron concentration.     

First-principles investigation of the electronic structure and magnetism of Heusler alloys CoMnSb and Co2MnSb

The spin-polarized electronic band structures, density of states (DOS), and magnetic properties of Co-Mn-based Heusler alloys CoMnSb and Co₂MnSb have been studied by first-principles method. The calculations were performed by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) within the spin-polarized density functional theory and generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Calculated electronic band structures and the density of states are discussed in terms of the contribution of Co 3d⁷4s², Mn 3d⁵4s², and Sb 5s²5p³ partial density of states and the spin magnetic moments were also calculated. The results reveal that both CoMnSb and Co₂MnSb have stable ferromagnetic ground state. They are ideal half-metallic (HM) ferromagnet at their equilibrium lattice constants. The calculated total spin magnetic moments are 3μ_B for CoMnSb and 6μ_B for Co₂MnSb per unit cell, which agree with the Slater-Pauling rule quite well.     

Electronic band structure matching for half- and full-Heusler alloys

We explore the lattice and the electronic band structures matching between the half-metallic Heusler alloys (half-Heusler NiMnSb and full-Heusler Co₂MnSi) and several hypothetical non-magnetic Heusler alloys by using first principle calculations. The lattice and band structure matching are almost perfectly satisfied between the two materials of similar crystal structures: (i) NiMnSb and XYSb and (ii) Co₂MnSi and X₂YSi, where X, Y=Ni or Cu. Owing to the high interface spin scattering asymmetry, these materials are promising to realize a high giant magnetoresistance at room temperature.     

Origins of Life in the Universe,by R. Jastrow and M. Rampino

In 1903 F. Heusler reported that it was possible to make ferromagnetic alloys from non-ferromagnetic constituents copper-manganese bronze and group B elements such as aluminium and tin. Further investigations showed that the magnetic properties of these alloys are related to their chemical, L2₁, structure, and to the ordering of the manganese atoms on an f.c.c. sublattice.

Heusler alloys are properly described as ternary intermetallic compounds and they can disorder in a variety of ways. A review is given of the effects of disorder on the intensities of superlattice lines, and of the use of x-ray and neutron diffraction to determine quantitatively the extent and types of long-range chemical and magnetic order in Heusler alloys.

As Heusler alloys exhibit most of the properties of metals but have the structure of an ordered compound, it is possible that several different magnetic exchange mechanisms may be operating. A review is given of the principal theories that have been employed to explain their magnetic properties, and some of the more recent results are discussed in terms of the generalized molecular field theory.     

Laser-plasma deposited nanosized layers of ferromagnetic semiconductors and silicon- and germanium-based Heusler alloys

The electric, magnetic resonance, and magneto-optical properties of thin laser-plasma deposited 50–100-nm layers of diluted magnetic semiconductors Ge:(Mn, Al)/GaAs, Ge:(Mn, Al)/Si, and Heusler alloys Co₂MnSi/Si, Co₂MnSi/GaAs, and Fe₂CrSi/GaAs with T _c > 293 K were studied. Anomalous ferromagnetic resonance in Ge:(Mn, Al) layers, ferromagnetism in CoSi/Si characterized by strong hysteresis in the magneto-optic Kerr effect, and the anomalous Hall effect at 293 K were observed.     

Magnetocaloric effects in Ni-Mn-X based Heusler alloys with X=Ga, Sb, In

The Mn-based Heusler alloys encompass a rich collection of useful materials from highly spin-polarized systems to shape memory alloys to magnetocaloric materials. In this work we have summarized our studies of magnetostructural transitions from paramagnetic austenite to ferromagnetic martesite phases at TMC in Ni₂MnGa-based alloys (Ni₂Mn_0.75Cu_0.25-xCo_xGa, Ni₂Mn_0.70Cu_0.30Ga_0.95Ge_0.05, Ni₂Mn_1-xCu_xGa, Ni_2+xMn_1-xGa, and Ni₂Mn_0.75-xCu_xGa), and martensitic transitions from the ferromagnetic austenite to the martesite state in off-stoichiometric Ni-Mn-(In/Sb) Heusler alloys. The phase transition temperatures and respective magnetic entropy changes (ΔS) depend on composition in these systems and have been determined from magnetization measurements in the temperature interval 5-400 K, and in magnetic fields up to 5 T. It is shown that, depending on the composition and doping scheme the “giant” ΔS=40-60 J/(kgK) (for a field change of 5 T) can be observed in the temperature range (300-360 K) for the Ga-based alloys. The interplay between or coupling of the various transitions in Ni₂Mn(Mn,X) systems with X=Sb and In leads to exchange bias effects, giant magnetoresistance, and both inverse and “normal” magnetocaloric effects.     

Defect‐induced ferrimagnetism in the half‐metallic Co2CrAl and Co2CrSi compounds

Co₂CrAl and Co₂CrSi are amongst the most studied Heusler alloys due to their half‐metallic character. These compounds are also well‐known to present ferromagnetism with high Curie temperatures. We show using first‐principles calculations that the creation of Cr antisites (Cr atoms at the Co sites) induces ferrimagnetism in these compounds without destroying the half‐metallic character of these alloys. The reduction of the total spin moment causes lower external fields and thus smaller energy losses in realistic magnetoelectronic, also known as spintronic, devices. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Magnetic and chemical order in Heusler alloys containing cobalt and titanium

Saturation magnetization, X-ray and neutron diffraction measurements have been made on alloys at the compositions Co₂TiAl, Co₂TiSi, Co₂TiGa, Co₂TiGe, Co₂TiSn, Co₂TiSb and CoTiSb. The alloys containing Ga and Sn have fully ordered Heusler, L2₁, chemical structures. Co₂TiAl is similarly ordered but with some partial Ti-Al disorder. The alloys Co₂TiSi and Co₂TiGe each contain a secondary phase in addition to the primary Heusler phase. Co₂TiSb contains the two phases Co₁₂₂TiSb and Co and CoTiSb is ordered in the Cl_b structure.The alloys containing the group IIIB or IVB elements Al, Si, Ga, Ge or Sn are ferromagnetically ordered, with the magnetic moments associated with the ordered Co sites. The two alloys containing the group VB element Sb have vacant chemically ordered ‘Co’ sites but are paramagnetic.     

Specific features of the electrical resistivity of half-metallic ferromagnets Co<Subscript>2</Subscript> <Emphasis Type="Italic">Me</Emphasis>Al (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Me</Emphasis> = Ti,V, Cr,Mn, Fe)

The transport properties of half-metallic ferromagnetic Heusler alloys Co₂MeAl (Me = Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe are transition 3d metals) have been measured in the temperature range of 4–900 K. The specific features of the behavior of the resistivity have been considered in the framework of the two-current model of conductivity that takes into account the existence of the energy gap in the electronic spectra of the alloys near the Fermi level of one of electron subbands that differs in the spin direction.     

Magnetic hyperfine fields in Heusler alloys Co YZ (Y=Ti,Zr; Z=Al,Ga,Sn)

Magnetic hyperfine fields (mhf) acting on Ta at the Ti and Zr sites have been measured in Heusler alloys Co₂TiAl(Ga,Sn) and Co₂ZrAl(Sn) by the TDPAC technique utilizing the 133–482 keV gamma cascade in¹⁸¹Hf. Curie temperatures of all the alloys have also been measured using a vibrating sample magnetometer. Present data together with the existing results on the Co₂HfAl(Ga,Sn) are discussed and compared with the mhf systematics in Heusler alloys.work partially supported by CNEN and CNPq     

Density functional study of the half-metallic ferromagnetism in Co-based Heusler alloys Co2MSn (M = Ti, Zr, Hf) using LSDA and GGA

The half-metallic state in the Heusler alloys Co₂MSn (M = Ti, Zr, Hf) was studied by means of first principles calculation, using both, the Local Spin Density Approximation (LSDA) and the Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) to the exchange-correlation energy. While the GGA calculation shows that the three alloys are half-metallic ferromagnets, the LSDA results show that they are ferromagnetic but not half-metallic systems. The difference between the exchange-correlation functionals is analyzed through the electronic structure of the alloys. The origin of the gap in the minority spin channel for GGA calculations is discussed.     

Magnetic measurements on Heusler alloys Ni2(Ti,Mn)Sn and Co2(Ti,Mn)Sn

Magnetic measurements (temperature and field dependence) on Heusler alloys Ni₂(Ti, Mn)Sn and Co₂(Ti, Mn)Sn were performed in the ferro- and para-magnetic region. In both systems the composition range was from x = 0 to x = 1. All the Co₂(Ti, Mn)Sn samples are ferromagnetic; in the system Ni₂Ti_1?xMn_xSn for x ? 0.2. Our interpretation of the magnetic data differs from that of previous authors.     

Tin hyperfine fields in Co2 VSn and Co2 NbSn from Mössbauer spectroscopy

The hyperfine fields at the Sn sites in the Heusler type alloys Co₂ VSn and Co₂NbSn have been measured by the Mössbauer effect at 4.2 K to be + 9.9 and + 15.0 kOe, respectively. These anomalously small values are discussed in terms of the outer electron structure of these alloys.