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Abstract Single crystals of disordered Mn4–xCrxAl11have been synthesized via the flux method. EDS on several crystals of various sizes and shapes revealed an average molar ratio of 17:9:74 for Mn:Cr:Al, while X-ray diffraction on three different crystals yield compositions Mn2.26Cr1.74Al11(Mn4–xCrxAl11,x= 1.74), Mn0.83Cr3.17Al11, and Mn1.07Cr2.93Al11. This compound crystallizes in space groupP–1, isostructural with both Mn4Al11and Cr4Al11. Magnetic measurements on several crystals show that this disordered compound is ferrimagnetic with a low effective moment ofμeff≈1.012±0.004 μB/f.u. and a non-reachable transition temperature. DFT calculations display opening of a bandgap in the spin-up channel near the Fermi level with increasing Cr content, an indication of half-metallicity.
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Prediction of Van Hove singularity systems in ternary borides
Abstract A computational search for stable structures among both α and β phases of ternary ATB4borides (A= Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al, Ga, and Zn,Tis3dor4dtransition elements) has been performed. We found that α-ATB4compounds withA= Mg, Ca, Al, andT = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Co form a family of structurally stable or almost stable materials. These systems are metallic in non-magnetic states and characterized by the formation of the localized molecular-like state of3dtransition metal atom dimers, which leads to the appearance of numerous Van Hove singularities in the electronic spectrum. The closeness of such singularities to the Fermi level can be easily tuned by electron doping. For the atoms in the middle of the3drow (Cr, Mn, and Fe), these singularities led to magnetic instabilities and magnetic ground states with a weakly metallic or semiconducting nature. Such states appear as non-trivial coexistence of the different spin ladders formed by magnetic dimers of3delements. These magnetic states can be characterized as an analog of the spin glass state. Experimental attempts to produce MgFeB4and associated challenges are discussed, and promising directions for further synthetic studies are formulated.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2132666
- PAR ID:
- 10471308
- Publisher / Repository:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- npj Computational Materials
- Volume:
- 9
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2057-3960
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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