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Defect‐induced ferrimagnetism in the half‐metallic Co 2 CrAl and Co 2 CrSi compounds
Author(s) -
Özdog̃an Kemal,
Galanakis Iosif,
Şaşıog̃lu Ersoy,
Aktaş Bekir
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
physica status solidi (rrl) – rapid research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.786
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1862-6270
pISSN - 1862-6254
DOI - 10.1002/pssr.200701012
Subject(s) - ferrimagnetism , spintronics , materials science , ferromagnetism , curie temperature , character (mathematics) , metal , condensed matter physics , curie , metallurgy , physics , magnetization , magnetic field , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
Co 2 CrAl and Co 2 CrSi 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)