Chun-Gang Duan et al 2007 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 19 315220 doi:10.1088/0953-8984/19/31/315220
Chun-Gang Duan1,2, R F Sabirianov2,3, W N Mei2,3, P A Dowben1,2, S S Jaswal1,2 and E Y Tsymbal1,2
Show affiliationsThe electronic structures and magnetic properties of many rare-earth monopnictides are reviewed in this article. Possible candidate materials for spintronics devices from the rare-earth monopnictide family, i.e. high polarization (nominally half-metallic) ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, are identified. We attempt to provide a unified picture of the electronic properties of these strongly correlated systems. The relative merits of several ab initio theoretical methods, useful in the study of the rare-earth monopnictides, are discussed. We present our current understanding of the possible half-metallicity, semiconductor–metal transitions, and magnetic orderings in the rare-earth monopnictides. Finally, we propose some potential strategies to improve the magnetic and electronic properties of these candidate materials for spintronics devices.
71.20.Ps Other inorganic compounds
71.27.+a Strongly correlated electron systems; heavy fermions
73.61.-r Electrical properties of specific thin films
75.50.-y Studies of specific magnetic materials
71.30.+h Metal-insulator transitions and other electronic transitions
Issue 31 (8 August 2007)
Received 10 November 2006, in final form 24 November 2006
Published 3 July 2007
Chun-Gang Duan et al 2007 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 19 315220
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