Electronic structure and magnetic interactions in LiV2O4

Abstract

We present results of all-electron electronic structure calculations for the recently discovered d electron heavy fermion compound LiV_2O_4. The augmented spherical wave calculations are based on density functional theory within the local density approximation. The electronic properties near the Fermi energy originate almost exclusively from V 3d t_{2g} states, which fall into two equally occupied subbands: While sigma-type metal-metal bonding leads to rather broad bands, small pi-type p-d overlap causes a narrow peak at E_F. Without the geometric frustration inherent in the crystal structure, spin-polarized calculations reveal an antiferromagnetic ground state and ferromagnetic order at slightly higher energy. Since direct d-d exchange interaction plays only a minor role, ordering of the localized vanadium moments can be attributed exclusively to a rather weak superexchange interaction. With the magnetic order suppressed by the geometric frustration, the remaining spin fluctuations suggest an explanation of the low temperature behaviour of the specific heat.