Anisotropy in layered half-metallic Heusler alloy superlattices

Journal Article · Thu Jan 28 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4940878· OSTI ID:22494937

Azadani, Javad G.; Munira, Kamaram; Sivakumar, Chockalingam; Butler, William H. ^[1]; Romero, Jonathon ^[2]; Ma, Jianhua; Ghosh, Avik W. ^[3]

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1. Center for Materials for Information Technology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487 (United States)
2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487 (United States)
3. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (United States)

We show that when two Heusler alloys are layered in the [001], [110], or [111] directions for various thicknesses to form a superlattice, the Slater-Pauling rule may still be satisfied and the resulting superlattice is often half-metallic with gaps comparable to or larger than those of its constituents. In addition, uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy is induced because of the differences in the electronic structure of the two Heuslers in the superlattice. Various full-full, full-half, and half-half Heusler superlattices are studied, and potential half-metallic superlattices with perpendicular magnetocrystalline anisotropy are identified.

• OSTI ID: 22494937
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 119, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANISOTROPY
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
HEUSLER ALLOYS
POTENTIALS
SUPERLATTICES
THICKNESS