Ferromagnetic Half-Metal for Spintronic Applications: Ab-Initio Calculation

The density functional theory (DFT) is used to study the structural, electronic, magnetic properties of Heusler Alloy compounds PdCoMnAl. The calculations are performed via FP-LAPW computational approaches as part of the generalized gradient approximation GGA and modified Becke–Johnson TB-mBJ for exchange-correlation potential. The prediction of the structure of the energy bands and of the densities of states shows a strong hybridization between the states d of the atoms of the transition metals of high valence (Pd) and the states d of the atoms of the transition metal of low valence (Mn) and (Co), which generates a half-metallic gap. In addition, the densities of total and partial states (PDOS) and the results of magnetic spin moments reveal that this compound is stable and ideal half-metallic ferromagnetic. The effects of the unit cell volume on the half-metallic and magnetic properties are crucial. It is interesting to note that our results of the total magnetic moment for PdCoMnAl equal to 5 µB per unit cell, nicely follow the rule µtot = Zt-18.