Site preference and electronic structure of Mn2RhZ (Z = Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Sb): A theoretical study

Abstract

The electronic structure and magnetism of Mn2RhZ (Z = Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Sb) Heusler alloys have been studied by using first-principles calculations. Three half-metallic ferromagnets, namely, Mn2RhAl, Mn2RhGe and Mn2RhSb have been considered. The calculated equilibrium lattice constant increases with increasing atomic number of Z atoms lying in same column of periodic table. The calculated total magnetic moments Mtot are 2 μB/f.u. for Mn2RhAl and Mn2RhGa, 3 μB/f.u. for Mn2RhSi, Mn2RhGe and Mn2RhSn, and 4μB/f.u. for Mn2RhSb, which agrees with the Slater-Pauling curve quite well. In all these compounds, except for Mn2RhSb, the moments of Mn (A) and Mn (B) are antiparallel to each other. The total magnetic moments of the three considered half-metals assume integral values in a wide range of equilibrium lattice parameters.