Uniaxial strain-dependent magnetic and electronic properties of (Ga,Mn)As nanowires

Variations in magnetic and electronic properties as a function of uniaxial strain in wurtzite(Ga,Mn)As nanowires(NWs) grown along the 0001] direction were investigated based on density functional theory(DFT). We found that(Ga,Mn)As NWs are half-metal, and the ferromagnetic state is their stable ground state. The magnetism of the NWs is significantly affected by the strain and by the substituent position of Mn impurities. By examining charge densities near the Fermi level, we found that strain can regulate the conductive region of the NWs. More interestingly, the size of spin-down band gap of the NWs is tunable by adjusting uniaxial stress, and the NWs can be converted from indirect to direct band gap under tension.