Robust half-metallicity of hexagonal SrNiO{sub 3}

Journal Article · Fri Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JSSC.2015.11.008· OSTI ID:22577761

Chen, Gao-Yuan ^[1]; Ma, Chun-Lan ^[1]; Chen, Da ^[1]; Zhu, Yan ^[2]

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1. School of Mathematics and Physics, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009 (China)
2. College of Science, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016 (China)

In the rich panorama of the electronic and magnetic properties of 3d transition metal oxides SrMO{sub 3} (M=Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu), one member (SrNiO{sub 3}) is missing. In this paper we use GGA+U method based on density functional theory to examine its properties. It is found that SrNiO{sub 3} is a ferromagnetic half-metal. The charge density map shows a high degree of ionic bonding between Sr and other atoms. Meanwhile, a covalent-bonding Ni–O–Ni–O–Ni chain is observed. The spin density contour of SrNiO{sub 3} further indicates that the magnetic interaction between Ni atoms mediated by O is semicovalent exchange. The density of states are examined to explore the unusual indirect magnetic-exchange mechanism. Corresponding to the total energies results, a robust half-metallic character is observed, suggesting a promising giant magneto-optical Kerr property of the material. The partial density of states are further examined to explore the origin of ferromagnetic half-metallicity. The O atoms are observed to have larger contribution at fermi level than Ni atoms to the spin-polarized states, demonstrating that O atoms play a critical role in ferromagnetic half-metallicity of SrNiO{sub 3}. Hydrostatic pressure effect is examined to evaluate how robust the half-metallic ferromagnetism is. - Graphical abstract: (a) The total energy as a function of the lattice constant a for hexagonal SrNiO3 with various magnetic phases. (b) The total electronic density of states for hexagonal SrNiO{sub 3} with FM configuration from GGA+U calculations. (c) Total electron-density distribution in the (110) plane. The colors gradually change from cyan (through pink) to yellow corresponding to charge density value from 0 to 4.0. (d) The magnetization density map in the (110) plane. The colors range from blue (through green) to red corresponding to magnetization density value from −0.15 to 0.45. Black and white contours stand for positive and negative values, respectively. - Highlights: • Hexagonal SrNiO{sub 3} is studied using first-principles method for the first time. • It is predicted that SrNiO{sub 3} is a ferromagnetic half metal. • The half-metallic ferromagnetism survives upon a pressure up to 20 GPa.

• OSTI ID: 22577761
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 233; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2015 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0022-4596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
BONDING
CHARGE DENSITY
DENSITY
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL METHOD
DENSITY OF STATES
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRONS
FERMI LEVEL
FERROMAGNETISM
INTERACTIONS
LATTICE PARAMETERS
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETIZATION
METALLICITY
OXIDES
SPIN
SPIN ORIENTATION
TRANSITION ELEMENTS