Epitaxial Stabilization of Ferromagnetism in the Nanophase of FeGe

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.127201· OSTI ID:1003076

Zeng, C. ^[1]; Kent, P. R. C. ^[2]; Varela del Arco, Maria ^[3]; Eisenbach, Markus ^[3]; Stocks, George Malcolm ^[3]; Torija Juana, Maria Asuncion ^[3]; Shen, Jian ^[3]; Weitering, Harm H ^[3]

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1. University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) & Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
2. University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK)
3. ORNL

Epitaxial nanocrystals of FeGe have been stabilized on Ge(111). The nanocrystals assume a quasi-one-dimensional shape as they grow exclusively along the {l_brace}1{ovr 1}0{r_brace} direction of the Ge(111) substrate, culminating in a compressed monoclinic modification of FeGe. Whereas monoclinic FeGe is antiferromagnetic in the bulk, the nanowires are surprisingly strong ferromagnets below {approx}200 K with an average magnetic moment of 0.8{mu}{sub B} per Fe atom. Density functional calculations indicate an unusual stabilization mechanism for the observed ferromagnetism: lattice compression destabilizes the antiferromagnetic Peierls-like ground state observed in the bulk while increased p-d hybridization suppresses the magnetic moments and stabilizes ferromagnetism.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1003076
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 96, Issue 12; ISSN 0031--9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPRESSION
DENSITY
FERROMAGNETISM
FUNCTIONALS
GROUND STATES
HYBRIDIZATION
MAGNETIC MOMENTS
MODIFICATIONS
SHAPE
STABILIZATION