0000000000147404
AUTHOR
Jürgen Kübler
Topological Insulators from a Chemist's Perspective
Topology and chemistry are deeply entangled subjects, whichmanifests in the way chemists like to think and approachproblems. Although not at first glance, topology allows thecategorizationoffundamentalinherentpropertiesofthehugenumber of different chemical compounds, carving out theunique features of a class of materials of different complexity,a topic which Turro worked out in his treatise on geometricaland topological thinking in chemistry.
Pressure induced insulator/half-metal/metal transition in a strongly correlatedp-electron system
Mixed-valent Rb${}_{4}$O${}_{6}$ provides an exceptional prototype material for studying the interplay between local correlations (Hubbard $U$) and electron kinetic energy ($W$) in the open $sp$-electron shell. Based on a first-principles calculation we show that depending on $U/W$ ratio, when tuned by external pressure, Rb${}_{4}$O${}_{6}$ exhibits a surprising sequence of phase transitions between strongly correlated antiferromagnetic insulator, ferromagnetic insulator ($U/W\phantom{\rule{-0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\gg}\phantom{\rule{-0.16em}{0ex}}1$), moderately correlated ferromagnetic half-metal ($U/W\phantom{\rule{-0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\sim}\phantom{\rule{-0.16em}{0ex}}1$), and fin…
Challenge of magnetism in strongly correlated open-shell 2p systems.
We report on theoretical investigations of the exotic magnetism in rubidium sesquioxide ${\mathrm{Rb}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}$, a model correlated system with an open $2p$ shell. Experimental investigations indicated that ${\mathrm{Rb}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ is a magnetically frustrated insulator. The frustration is explained here by electronic structure calculations that incorporate the correlation between the oxygen $2p$ electrons and deal with the mixed-valent oxygen. This leads to a physical picture where the symmetry is reduced because one third of the oxygen in ${\mathrm{Rb}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ is nonmagnetic while the remaining two thirds assemble in antiferromagnetic arrangements. A d…
Topological Insulators from a Chemist’s Perspective
Topology and chemistry are deeply entangled subjects, whichmanifests in the way chemists like to think and approachproblems. Although not at first glance, topology allows thecategorizationoffundamentalinherentpropertiesofthehugenumber of different chemical compounds, carving out theunique features of a class of materials of different complexity,a topic which Turro worked out in his treatise on geometricaland topological thinking in chemistry.
Understanding the trend in the Curie temperatures ofCo2-based Heusler compounds:Ab initiocalculations
The Curie temperatures for the Heusler compounds Co{sub 2}TiAl, Co{sub 2}VGa, Co{sub 2}VSn, Co{sub 2}CrGa, Co{sub 2}CrAl, Co{sub 2}MnAl, Co{sub 2}MnSn, Co{sub 2}MnSi, and Co{sub 2}FeSi are determined ab initio from the electronic structure obtained with the local-density functional approximation and/or the generalized gradient approximation. Frozen spin spirals are used to model the excited states needed to evaluate the spherical approximation for the Curie temperature. The spherical approximation is found to describe the experimental Curie temperatures very well which, for the compounds selected, extend over the range from 95 to 1100 K; as a function of the valence electron count, they sho…
Berry-curvatures and anomalous Hall effect in Heusler compounds
Berry curvatures are computed for a set of Heusler compounds using density functional calculations and the wave functions that they provide. The anomalous Hall conductivity is obtained from the Berry curvatures. It is compared with experimental values in the case of Co${}_{2}$CrAl and Co${}_{2}$MnAl. A notable trend cannot be seen but the range of values is quite enormous. The results for the anomalous Hall conductivities and their large variations as well as the degree of the spin polarization of the Hall current can be qualitatively understood by means of the band structure and the Fermi-surface topology.
Exotic magnetism in the alkali sesquioxidesRb4O6andCs4O6
Among the various alkali oxides the sesquioxides ${\text{Rb}}_{4}{\text{O}}_{6}$ and ${\text{Cs}}_{4}{\text{O}}_{6}$ are of special interest. Electronic-structure calculations using the local spin-density approximation predicted that ${\text{Rb}}_{4}{\text{O}}_{6}$ should be a half-metallic ferromagnet, which was later contradicted when an experimental investigation of the temperature-dependent magnetization of ${\text{Rb}}_{4}{\text{O}}_{6}$ showed a low-temperature magnetic transition and differences between zero-field-cooled and field-cooled measurements. Such behavior is known from spin glasses and frustrated systems. ${\text{Rb}}_{4}{\text{O}}_{6}$ and ${\text{Cs}}_{4}{\text{O}}_{6}$ c…
Design Scheme of New Tetragonal Heusler Compounds for Spin-Transfer Torque Applications and its Experimental Realization
Band Jahn-Teller type structural instabilities of cubic Mn(2)YZ Heusler compounds causing tetragonal distortions can be predicted by ab initio band-structure calculations. This allows for identification of new Heusler materials with tunable magnetic and structural properties that can satisfy the demands for spintronic applications, such as in spin-transfer torque-based devices.
Topological Insulators in Ternary Compounds with a Honeycomb Lattice
One of the most exciting subjects in solid state physics is a single layer of graphite which exhibits a variety of unconventional novel properties. The key feature of its electronic structure are linear dispersive bands which cross in a single point at the Fermi energy. This so-called Dirac cone is closely related to the surface states of the recently discovered topological insulators. The ternary compounds, such as LiAuSe and KHgSb with a honeycomb structure of their Au-Se and Hg-Sb layers feature band inversion very similar to HgTe which is a strong precondition for existence of the topological surface states. In contrast to graphene with two Dirac cones at K and K' points, these material…
Rational design of new materials for spintronics: Co2FeZ (Z=Al, Ga, Si, Ge)
Spintronic is a multidisciplinary field and a new research area. New materials must be found for satisfying the different types of demands. The search for stable half-metallic ferromagnets and ferromagnetic semiconductors with Curie temperatures higher than room temperature is still a challenge for solid state scientists. A general understanding of how structures are related to properties is a necessary prerequisite for material design. Computational simulations are an important tool for a rational design of new materials. The new developments in this new field are reported from the point of view of material scientists. The development of magnetic Heusler compounds specifically designed as …
Magnetic and electronic properties of double perovskites and estimation of their Curie temperatures byab initiocalculations
First principles electronic structure calculations have been carried out on ordered double perovskites Sr_2B'B"O_6 (for B' = Cr or Fe and B" 4d and 5d transition metal elements) with increasing number of valence electrons at the B-sites, and on Ba_2MnReO_6 as well as Ba_2FeMoO_6. The Curie temperatures are estimated ab initio from the electronic structures obtained with the local spin-density functional approximation, full-potential generalized gradient approximation and/or the LDA+U method (U - Hubbard parameter). Frozen spin-spirals are used to model the excited states needed to evaluate the spherical approximation for the Curie temperatures. In cases, where the induced moments on the oxy…
Tunable multifunctional topological insulators in ternary Heusler compounds
Recently the Quantum Spin Hall effect (QSH) was theoretically predicted and experimentally realized in a quantum wells based on binary semiconductor HgTe[1-3]. QSH state and topological insulators are the new states of quantum matter interesting both for fundamental condensed matter physics and material science[1-11]. Many of Heusler compounds with C1b structure are ternary semiconductors which are structurally and electronically related to the binary semiconductors. The diversity of Heusler materials opens wide possibilities for tuning the band gap and setting the desired band inversion by choosing compounds with appropriate hybridization strength (by lattice parameter) and the magnitude o…