Strain Induced Half-Metal to Semiconductor Transition in GdN

Authors

Chun-gang Duan, University of Nebraska-OmahaFollow
Renat F. Sabirianov, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
Jianjun Liu, University of Nebraska-OmahaFollow
Wai-Ning Mei, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
Peter A. Dowben, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
J. R. Hardy, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

6-17-2005

Comments

Published in Physical Review Letters 94, 237201 (2005).
URL: http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v94/e237201
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.237201
Copyright 2005 American Physical Society. Used by permission.

Abstract

We investigate the electronic structure and magnetic properties of GdN as a function of unit cell volume. Based on the first-principles calculations of GdN, we observe that there is a transformation in the conduction properties associated with the volume increase: first from half-metallic to semimetallic, then ultimately to semiconducting. We show that applying stress can alter the carrier concentration as well as mobility of the holes and electrons in the majority spin channel. In addition, we found that the exchange parameters depend strongly on lattice constant, thus the Curie temperature of this system can be enhanced by applying stress or doping impurities.