Abstract
Our ab initio theory calculations predict a semiconducting band structure of I-Mn-V compounds. We demonstrate on LiMnAs that high-quality materials with group-I alkali metals in the crystal structure can be grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Optical measurements on the LiMnAs epilayers are consistent with the theoretical electronic structure. Our calculations also reproduce earlier reports of high antiferromagnetic ordering temperature and predict large, spin-orbit-coupling-induced magnetic anisotropy effects. We propose a strategy for employing antiferromagnetic semiconductors in high-temperature semiconductor spintronics.
- Received 29 November 2010
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.83.035321
© 2011 American Physical Society
Viewpoint
A useful pyramid scheme
Published 24 January 2011
Successful legwork to find a new insulator for spintronics applications sends a material running up the ladder of research and development.
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