On the Coexistence in RuSr2GdCu2O8 of Superconductivity and Ferromagnetism

We review the reasons that make superconductivity unlikely to arise in a ferromagnet. Then, in light of the report by Tallon and collaborators that RuSr2GdCu2O8 becomes superconducting at approximately 35 K which is well below the Curie temperature of 132 K, we consider whether the objections really apply to this compound. Our considerations are supported by local spin density calculations for this compound, which indeed indicate a ferromagnetic RuO2 layer. The Ru moment resides in t_2g orbitals but is characteristic of itinerant magnetism (and is sensitive to choice of exchange-correlation potential and to the atomic positions). Based on the small exchange splitting that is induced in the Cu-O layers, the system seems capable of supporting singlet superconductivity an FFLO-type order parameter and possibly a pi-phase alternation between layers. If instead the pairing is triplet in the RuO2 layers, it can be distinguished by a spin-polarized supercurrent. Either type of superconductivity seems to imply a spontaneous vortex phase if the magnetization is rotated out of the plane.Comment: 3 revtex pages, 2 embedded figures. In press, Proc. HTS99 Conf., Miami, 199

Orbital moment of a single Co atom on a Pt(111) surface - a view from correlated band theory

The orbital magnetic moment of a Co adatom on a Pt(111) surface is calculated in good agreement with experimental data making use of the LSDA+U method. It is shown that both electron correlation induced orbital polarization and structural relaxation play essential roles in orbital moment formation. The microscopic origins of the orbital moment enhancement are discussed

Electronic structure and spectral properties of Am, Cm and Bk: Charge density self-consistent LDA+HIA calculations in FP-LAPW basis

We provide a straightforward and numerically efficient procedure to perform local density approximation + Hubbard I (LDA+HIA) calculations, including self-consistency over the charge density, within the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method. This implementation is all-electron, includes spin-orbit interaction, and makes no shape approximations for the charge density. The method is applied to calculate selected heavy actinides in the paramagnetic phase. The electronic structure and spectral properties of Am and Cm metals obtained are in agreement with previous dynamical mean-field theory (LDA+DMFT) calculations and with available experimental data. We point out that the charge density self-consistent LDA+HIA calculations predict the $f$ charge on Bk to exceed the atomic integer $f^8$ value by 0.22.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

Orbital magnetic moment and extrinsic spin Hall effect for iron impurity in gold

We report electronic structure calculations of an iron impurity in gold host. The spin, orbital and dipole magnetic moments were investigated using the LDA+$U$ correlated band theory. We show that the {\em around-mean-field}-LDA+$U$ reproduces the XMCD experimental data well and does not lead to formation of a large orbital moment on the Fe atom. Furthermore, exact diagonalization of the multi-orbital Anderson impurity model with the full Coulomb interaction matrix and the spin-orbit coupling is performed in order to estimate the spin Hall angle. The obtained value $\gamma_S \approx 0.025$ suggests that there is no giant extrinsic spin Hall effect due to scattering on iron impurities in gold.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Multiplet effects in the electronic structure of δ\delta-Pu, Am and their compounds

We propose a straightforward and efficient procedure to perform dynamical mean-field (DMFT) calculations on the top of the static mean-field LDA+U approximation. Starting from self-consistent LDA+U ground state we included multiplet transitions using the Hubbard-I approximation, which yields a very good agreement with experimental photoelectron spectra of $\delta$-Pu, Am, and their selected compounds.Comment: submitted to Europhysics Letter

Prospect for room temperature tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance effect: density of states anisotropies in CoPt systems

Tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance (TAMR) effect, discovered recently in (Ga,Mn)As ferromagnetic semiconductors, arises from spin-orbit coupling and reflects the dependence of the tunneling density of states in a ferromagnetic layer on orientation of the magnetic moment. Based on ab initio relativistic calculations of the anisotropy in the density of states we predict sizable TAMR effects in room-temperature metallic ferromagnets. This opens prospect for new spintronic devices with a simpler geometry as these do not require antiferromagnetically coupled contacts on either side of the tunnel junction. We focus on several model systems ranging from simple hcp-Co to more complex ferromagnetic structures with enhanced spin-orbit coupling, namely bulk and thin film L1$_0$-CoPt ordered alloys and a monatomic-Co chain at a Pt surface step edge. Reliability of the predicted density of states anisotropies is confirmed by comparing quantitatively our ab initio results for the magnetocrystalline anisotropies in these systems with experimental data.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Unified character of correlation effects in unconventional Pu-based superconductors and \delta-Pu

Electronic structure calculations combining the local-density approximation with an exact diagonalization of the Anderson impurity model show an intermediate 5f^5-5f^6-valence ground state and delocalization of the 5f^5 multiplet of the Pu atom 5f-shell in PuCoIn_5, PuCoGa_5, and \delta-Pu. The 5f-local magnetic moment is compensated by a moment formed in the surrounding cloud of conduction electrons. For PuCoGa_5 and \delta-Pu the compensation is complete and the Anderson impurity ground state is a singlet. For PuCoIn_5 the compensation is partial and the Pu ground state is magnetic. We suggest that the unconventional d-wave superconductivity is likely mediated by the 5f-states antiferromagnetic fluctuations in PuCoIn_5, and by valence fluctuations in PuCoGa_5.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure