Herein, a metastable phase of β‐W type V3Ga is identified to exhibit an itinerant semiconducting antiferromagnetism. Density functional theory plus Hubbard U (DFT+U) calculations predict the β‐W type structure as a possible metastable phase, although energetically less favorable than the previously known D03 phase, which is successfully synthesized with good crystallinity by alternating evaporation method with postannealing process rather than traditional coevaporation method. Such a metastable β‐W phase results in an antiferromagnetic (AFM) order up to at least 500 K and highly conductive semiconducting behavior. The antiferromagnetism in the β‐W type V3Ga can be understood in terms of strong Coulomb repulsion and Hund's rule coupling between the nearest neighbor V 3d orbital states and their covalent bonding with the Ga 4p orbitals. These results are further verified by an exchange bias phenomenon revealed in antiferro/ferromagnet hybrid heterostructure of V3Ga and Fe films, where the strong hybridization between Fe 3d and V 3d orbital states at the interface gives rise to the robust perpendicular magnetic anisotropy therein. Herein, a novel route is used to prepare an AFM semiconductor material for antiferromagnet spintronics.
Herein, we propose and provide evidence for the experimentally and theoretically promising route of exploring spintronics materials with high performance via a synthetic hybrid of half-metallic ferromagnet and diluted magnetic semiconductor. Crystalline and well-ordered [Co2FeGe/Ge(Mn)]n superlattice, which is free of secondary phase separation, were prepared by the hybridization of end members, Co2FeGe and Ge(Mn), using the molecular beam epitaxy technique. Besides comparable magnetic properties with respect to the Co2FeGe films, the superlattice sample exhibits superior properties in electric conductivity and spin polarization, thus enhancing in favor of the spin injection efficiency. These results demonstrate the high feasibility of spintronics materials with low saturation magnetization, small coercivity, high Curie temperature, and high spin injection efficiency through the proposed route in this work.
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