Can a half-metallic zincblende-type structure be stabilized via epitaxy?

Abstract

The need for spin-injectors having the same zincblende-type crystal structure as conventional semiconductor substrates has created significant interests in theoretical predictions of possible metastable ``half-metallic&#39;&#39; zincblende ferromagnets, which are normally more stable in other structure-types, e.g., NiAs. Such predictions were based in the past on differences $Δ_{\rm bulk}$ in the total-energies of the respective {\em bulk} crystal forms (zincblende and NiAs). We show here that the appropriate criterion is comparing difference $Δ_{\rm epi}(a_s)$ in {\em epitaxial} total-energies. This reveals that even if $Δ_{\rm bulk}$ is small, still for MnAs, CrSb, CrAs, CrTe, $Δ_{\rm epi}(a_s) > 0$ for all substrate lattice constant $a_s$, so the zincblende phase is not stabilized. For CrS we find $Δ_{\rm epi}(a_s) <0$, but the system is antiferromagnetic, thus not half-metallic. Finally, zincblende CrSe is predicted to be epitaxially stable for $a_s > 6.2$ Å and half-metallic.