Half Semimetallic Antiferromagnetism in the Sr2_2CrTO6_6 System, T=Os, Ru

Double perovskite Sr$_2$CrOsO$_6$ is (or is very close to) a realization of a spin-asymmetric semimetallic compensated ferrimagnet, according to first principles calculations. This type of near-half metallic antiferromagnet is an unusual occurrence, and more so in this compound because the zero gap is accidental rather than being symmetry determined. The large spin-orbit coupling (SOC) of osmium upsets the spin balance (no net spin moment without SOC): it reduces the Os spin moment by 0.27 $\mu_B$ and induces an Os orbital moment of 0.17 $\mu_B$ in the opposite direction. The effects combine (with small oxygen contributions) to give a net total moment of 0.54 $\mu_B$ per cell in \scoo, reflecting a large impact of SOC in this compound. This value is in moderately good agreement with the measured saturation moment of 0.75 $\mu_B$. The value of the net moment on the Os ion obtained from neutron diffraction (0.73 $\mu_B$ at low temperature) differs from the calculated value (1.14 $\mu_B$). Rather surprisingly, in isovalent Sr$_2$CrRuO$_6$ the smaller SOC-induced spin changes and orbital moments (mostly on Ru) almost exactly cancel. This makes Sr$_2$CrRuO$_6$ a "half (semi)metallic antiferromagnet" (practically vanishing net total moment) even when SOC is included, with the metallic channel being a small-band-overlap semimetal. Fixed spin moment (FSM) calculations are presented for each compound, illustrating how they provide different information than in the case of a nonmagnetic material. These FSM results indicate that the Cr moment is an order of magnitude stiffer against longitudinal fluctuations than is the Os moment.Comment: 6 page

Charge and Spin Ordering in Insulating Na0.5_{0.5}CoO2_2: Effects of Correlation and Symmetry

Ab initio band theory including correlations due to intra-atomic repulsion is applied to study charge disproportionation and charge- and spin-ordering in insulating Na$_{0.5}$CoO$_2$. Various ordering patterns (zigzag and two striped) for four-Co supercells are analyzed before focusing on the observed "out-of-phase stripe" pattern of antiferromagnetic Co$^{4+}$ spins along charge-ordered stripes. This pattern relieves frustration and shows distinct analogies with the cuprate layers: a bipartite lattice of antialigned spins, with axes at 90 degree angles. Substantial distinctions with cuprates are also discussed, including the tiny gap of a new variant of "charge transfer" type within the Co 3d system.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Compensated Half-metallicity in the Trigonally Distorted Perovskite-type NiCrO3_3

Using first principles calculations, we investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of the trigonally distorted (R-3c) perovskite-derived NiCrO$_3$. Within the local spin density approximation (LSDA), our calculations show that this system is an exactly compensated half-metal (CHM). The local spin moments of Cr 2.04, and antialigned Ni -1.41 and three oxygens -0.63 (in the units of $\mu_B$), indicate high spin S=3/2 Cr$^{3+}$ and S=3/2 (NiO$_3$)$^{3-}$ units. Considering reasonable values of the on-site Coulomb repulsion U on both Ni and Cr ions with LDA+U approach, this system becomes an insulator (as reported by Chamberland and Cloud) having a narrow gap in the spin-up channel, whereas the other channel has a large gap of ~3 eV. Although inclusion of U seemingly leads to the transition Ni$^{2+} --> high spin S=3/2 Ni$^{3+}$, consistent with the experimentally observed effective moment, the zero net moment remains unchanged due to either reduction of oxygen local moments or enhancement of Cr local moment. Compression of volume by 10to CHM even when correlation effects are included.These results suggest the possibility of a CHM state in NiCrO$_3$ and provide another route to search for CHM, which is a property sought by many.Comment: 5 pages, 5 embedded figures, (To be published in PRB rapid Commun.

Pressure-driven magnetic moment collapse in the ground state of MnO

The zero temperature Mott transition region in antiferromagnetic, spin S=5/2 MnO is probed using the correlated band theory LSDA+U method. The first transition encountered is an insulator-insulator volume collapse within the rocksalt structure that is characterized by an unexpected Hund's rule violating `spin-flip' moment collapse. This spin-flip to S=1/2 takes fullest advantage of the anisotropy of the Coulomb repulsion, allowing gain in the kinetic energy (which increases with decreasing volume) while retaining a sizable amount of the magnetic exchange energy. While transition pressures vary with the interaction strength, the spin-flip state is robust over a range of interaction strengths and for both B1 and B8 structures

Charge Disproportionation and Spin Ordering Tendencies in Na(x)CoO2

The strength and effect of Coulomb correlations in the (superconducting when hydrated) x~1/3 and ``enhanced'' x~2/3 regimes of Na(x)CoO2 are evaluated using the correlated band theory LDA+U method. Our results, neglecting quantum fluctuations, are: (1) allowing only ferromagnetic order, there is a critical U_c = 3 eV, above which charge disproportionation occurs for both x=1/3 and x=2/3, (2) allowing antiferromagnetic order at x=1/3, U_c drops to 1 eV for disproportionation, (3) disproportionation and gap opening occur simultaneously, (4) in a Co(3+)-Co(4+) ordered state, antiferromagnetic coupling is favored over ferromagnetic, while below U_c ferromagnetism is favored. Comparison of the calculated Fermi level density of states compared to reported linear specific heat coefficients indicates enhancement of the order of five for x~0.7, but negligible enhancement for x~0.3. This trend is consistent with strong magnetic behavior and local moments (Curie-Weiss susceptibility) for x>0.5 while there no magnetic behavior or local moments reported for x<0.5. We suggest that the phase diagram is characterized by a crossover from effective single-band character with U >> W for x>0.5 into a three-band regime for x U_eff <= U/\sqrt(3) ~ W and correlation effects are substantially reduced.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, corrected a few typos and changed reference

Chemical Differences between K and Na in Alkali Cobaltates

K$_x$CoO$_2$ shares many similarities with Na$_x$CoO$_2$, as well as some important differences (no hydration-induced superconductivity has been reported). At $T_{c2}$=20 K, K$_{0.5}$CoO$_2$ becomes an insulator with a tiny optical gap as happens in Na$_{0.5}$CoO$_2$ at 52 K. This similarity, with a known common structure, enables direct comparisons to be made. Using the K-zigzag structure recently reported and the local density approximation, we compare and contrast these cobaltates at x=0.5. Although the electronic structures are quite similar as expected, substantial differences are observed near the Fermi level. These differences are found to be attributable mostly to the chemical, rather than structural difference: although Na is normally considered to be fully ion, K has somewhat more highly ionic character than does Na in these cobaltates.Comment: 5 paper

Boron Spectral Density and Disorder Broadening in B-doped Diamond

Comparison of periodic B dopants with a random alloy of substitional boron in diamond is carried out using several supercells and the coherent potential approximation (CPA) for the random alloy case. The main peak in the B local density of states is shifted to lower binding energy compared to the corresponding C peak in intrinsic diamond. In supercells, this shows up as strongly B-character bands split from bulk C bands away from the zone center,in an energy region around -1 eV. Even for a 4*4*4 supercell (BC$_{127}$), effects of the dopant order are evident in the form of primarily B-character bands just below the Fermi level at the supercell zone boundary. The bands resulting from the CPA are of continuous mixed C-B character. They resemble virtual crystal bands, but broadened somewhat reflecting the disorder-induced lifetime, and are consistent with angle-resolved photoemission band maps. The B character is 1.7 times larger than for C (per atom) near the top of the valence bands for CPA, and roughly the same for supercells. CPA results are particularly useful since they characterize the wavevector and energy dependence of disorder broadening.Comment: 8 pages and 9 embedded figures (To appear in PRB