In Search for Novel Sn2Co3S2-based Half-metal Ferromagnets

Abstract

Substitution effects on magnetism of shandite-type compounds have been studied by density functional theory. The decrease of the Fermi level in the novel half-metallic ferromagnet Sn2Co3S2 to higher maxima of the density of states was modeled for substitutions on the Co site by the 3d metals Fe, Mn and Cr due to a rigid band scheme. Spin-polarized energy hyper surfaces and densities of states are calculated for Sn2Co3S2, and experimentally not yet known Sn2Fe3S2, Sn2Mn3S2 and Sn2Cr3S2 with shandite-type structure. The stability of half-metallic ferromagnetic characteristics, Slater-Pauling behavior, and alternative metastable spin states are discussed.</jats:p