Density functional theory analysis of the interplay between Jahn-Teller instability, uniaxial magnetism, spin arrangement, metal-metal interaction, and spin-orbit coupling in Ca3CoMO6 (M = Co, Rh, Ir)

In the isostructural oxides Ca(3)CoMO(6) (M = Co, Rh, Ir), the CoMO(6) chains made up of face-sharing CoO(6) trigonal prisms and MO(6) octahedra are separated by Ca atoms. We analyzed the magnetic and electronic properties of these oxides on the basis of density functional theory calculations including on-site repulsion and spin-orbit coupling, and examined the essential one-electron pictures hidden behind results of these calculations. Our analysis reveals an intimate interplay between Jahn-Teller instability, uniaxial magnetism, spin arrangement, metal-metal interaction, and spin-orbit coupling in governing the magnetic and electronic properties of these oxides. These oxides undergo a Jahn-Teller distortion, but their distortions are weak, so that their trigonal-prism Co(n+) (n = 2, 3) ions still give rise to strong easy-axis anisotropy along the chain direction. As for the d-state split pattern of these ions, the electronic and magnetic properties of Ca(3)CoMO(6) (M = Co, Rh, Ir) are consistent with d(0) < (d(2), d(-2)) < (d(1), d(-1)) but not with (d(2), d(-2)) < d(0) < (d(1), d(-1)). The trigonal-prism Co(3+) ion in Ca(3)Co(2)O(6) has the L = 2 configuration (d(0))(1)(d(2), d(-2))(3)(d(1), d(-1))(2) because of the metal-metal interaction between adjacent Co(3+) ions in each Co(2)O(6) chain, which is mediated by their z(2) orbitals, and the spin-orbit coupling of the trigonal-prism Co(3+) ion. The spins in each CoMO(6) chain of Ca(3)CoMO(6) prefer the ferromagnetic arrangement for M = Co and Rh but the antiferromagnetic arrangement for M = Ir. The octahedral M(4+) ion of Ca(3)CoMO(6) has the (1a)(1)(1e)(4) configuration for M = Rh but the (1a)(2)(1e)(3) configuration for M = Ir, which arises from the difference in the spin-orbit coupling of the M(4+) ions and the Co···M metal-metal interactions.