Antisite-induced half-metallicity and fully-compensated ferrimagnetism in Co–Mn–V–Al alloy

Abstract

We predicted that Co–Mn–V–Al alloy is a fully-compensated half-metallic ferrimagnet in CoVMnAl-type atomic arrangement with 25% ∼ 50% Co–Mn antisites using band structure calculations. The CoVMnAl-type atomic arrangement with about 30% Co–Mn antisites was successfully synthesized. The measurements of magnetic properties and electronic transport properties confirmed the half-metallicity and fully-compensated ferrimagnetism. We argued that the half-metallicity and ferrimagnetism in Co–Mn–V–Al compounds originate from the antisite between the Co and Mn atoms, which implies a new way to search for half-metallic material in Heusler alloys.