1. |
- Abrikosov, Igor, et al.
(author)
-
Competition between Magnetic Structures in the Fe-Rich FCC FeNi Alloys
- 2007
-
In: Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. - : American Physical Society. - 1098-0121 .- 1550-235X. ; 76:1, s. 014434-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the results of a systematic ab initio study of the magnetic structure of Fe rich fcc FeNi binary alloys for Ni concentrations up to 50 at. %. Calculations are carried out within density-functional theory using two complementary techniques, one based on the exact muffin-tin orbital theory within the coherent potential approximation and another one based on the projector augmented-wave method. We observe that the evolution of the magnetic structure of the alloy with increasing Ni concentration is determined by a competition between a large number of magnetic states, collinear as well as noncollinear, all close in energy. We emphasize a series of transitions between these magnetic structures, in particular we have investigated a competition between disordered local moment configurations, spin spiral states, the double layer antiferromagnetic state, and the ferromagnetic phase, as well as the ferrimagnetic phase with a single spin flipped with respect to all others. We show that the latter should be particularly important for the understanding of the magnetic structure of the Invar alloys.
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
- Alling, Björn, 1980-, et al.
(author)
-
Comparison of thermodynamic properties of cubic Cr 1-x Al x N and Ti 1-x Al x N from first-principles calculations
- 2007
-
In: Journal of Applied Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 0021-8979 .- 1089-7550. ; 102:044314
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In order to investigate the stability of the cubic phase of Cr1−xAlxN at high AlN content, first principles calculations of magnetic properties, lattice parameters, electronic structure, and mixing enthalpies of the system were performed. The mixing enthalpy was calculated on a fine concentration mesh to make possible the accurate determination of its second concentration derivative. The results are compared to calculations performed for the related compound Ti1−xAlxN and with experiments. The mixing enthalpy is discussed in the context of isostructural spinodal decomposition. It is shown that the magnetism is the key to understand the difference between the Cr- and Ti-containing systems. Cr1−xAlxN turns out to be more stable against spinodal decomposition than Ti1−xAlxN, especially for AlN-rich samples which are of interest in cutting tools applications.
|
|
4. |
|
|
5. |
- Alling, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Effect of thermal expansion, electronic excitations, and disorder on the Curie temperature of Ni1-xCuxMnSb alloys
- 2009
-
In: Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. - 1098-0121 .- 1550-235X. ; 79:13
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We demonstrate the importance of thermal effects such as temperature-induced electronic, magnetic and vibrational excitations, as well as structural defects in the first-principles calculations of the magnetic critical temperature of complex alloys using half-Heusler Ni1-xCuxMnSb alloys as a case study. The thermal lattice expansion and one-electron excitations have been accounted for self-consistently in the Curie temperature calculations. In the Ni-rich region, electronic excitations, thermal expansion, and structural defects substantially decrease the calculated Curie temperature. At the same time, some defects are shown to increase T-C in Cu-rich samples.
|
|
6. |
- Alling, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Electronic origin of the isostructural decomposition in cubic M1-xAlxN (M=Ti, Cr, Sc, Hf) : A first-principles study
- 2008
-
In: Surface and Coatings Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0257-8972. ; 203:5-7, s. 883-886
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We have used first-principles calculations to investigate the mixing enthalpies, lattice parameters and electronic density of states of the ternary nitride systems Ti1-xAlxN, Cr1-xAlxN, Sc1-xAlxN and Hf1-xAlxN in the cubic B1 structure where the transition metals and aluminium form a solid solution on the metal sublattice. We discuss the electronic origins of the possible isostructural decomposition in these materials relevant for hard coatings applications. We find that in the systems Ti1-xAlxN and Hf1-xAlxN the electronic structure effects strongly influences the phase stability as d-states are localised at the Fermi level in AlN-rich samples. This leads to a strongly asymmetric contribution to the mixing enthalpy, an effect not present in Cr1-xAlxN and Sc1-xAlxN. The lattice mismatch is large in Sc1-xAlxN and Hf1-xAlxN, giving a symmetric contribution to the mixing enthalpies in those systems.
|
|
7. |
- Alling, Björn, 1980-, et al.
(author)
-
Energetics and magnetic impact of 3d-metal doping of the half-metallic ferromagnet NiMnSb
- 2008
-
In: Physical Review B Condensed Matter. - 0163-1829 .- 1095-3795. ; 77:14, s. 144414-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We have performed a theoretical study of the effect of doping the half-Heusler alloy NiMnSb with the magnetic 3d metals Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni, with respect to both energetics and magnetic properties. Starting from the formation energies, we discuss the possibility of placing the dopant on different crystallographic positions in the alloy. We calculate total and local magnetic moments, effective exchange interactions, and density of states and also outline strategies to tune the magnetic properties of the alloy. Doping of NiMnSb with Cr as well as substituting some Ni with extra Mn have the largest impact on magnetic interactions in the system while preserving its half-metallic property. Therefore, we suggest the possibility that these dopants increase the thermal stability of half-metallicity in NiMnSb, with implications for its possible usage in spintronics applications.
|
|
8. |
- Alling, Björn, 1980-, et al.
(author)
-
First-principles study of the effect of nitrogen vacancies on the decomposition pattern in cubic Ti1-xAlxN1-y
- 2008
-
In: Applied Physics Letters. - : AIP Publishing. - 0003-6951 .- 1077-3118. ; 92, s. 071903-1-071903-3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The effect of nitrogen substoichiometry on the isostructural phase stabilities of the cubic Ti1−xAlxN1−y system has been investigated using first-principles calculations. The preferred isostructural decomposition pattern in these metastable solid solutions was predicted from the total energy calculations on a dense concentration grid. Close to the stoichiometric Ti1−xAlxN1 limit, N vacancies increase the tendency for phase separation as N sticks to Al while the vacancies prefers Ti neighbors. For nitrogen depleated conditions, N sticks to Ti forming TiN (0<<1) while Al tends to form nitrogen-free fcc-Al or Al–Ti alloys.
|
|
9. |
- Alling, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Metastability of fcc-related Si-N phases
- 2008
-
In: Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. - 1098-0121 .- 1550-235X. ; 78:13, s. 132103-132103
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The phenomenon of superhardening in TiN/SiNx nanocomposites and the prediction of extreme hardness in bulk gamma-Si3N4 have attracted a large interest to this material system. Attempts to explain the experimental findings by means of first-principles calculations have so far been limited to static calculations. The dynamical stability of suggested structures of the SiNx tissue phase critical for the understanding of the nanocomposites is thus unknown. Here, we present a theoretical study of the phonon-dispersion relations of B1 and B3 SiN. We show that both phases previously considered as metastable are dynamically unstable. Instead, two pseudo-B3 Si3N4 phases derived from a L1(2)- or D0(22)-type distribution of Si vacancies are dynamically stable and might explain recent experimental findings of epitaxial SiNx in TiN/SiNx multilayers.
|
|
10. |
- Alling, Björn, 1980-, et al.
(author)
-
Mixing and decomposition thermodynamics of c-Ti1-xAlxN from first-principles calculations
- 2007
-
In: Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. - 1098-0121 .- 1550-235X. ; 75:045123
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Wedescribe an efficient first-principles method that can be used tocalculate mixing enthalpies of transition metal nitrides with B1 structureand substitutional disorder at the metal sublattice. The technique isbased on the density functional theory. The independent sublattice modelis suggested for the treatment of disorder-induced local lattice relaxationeffects. It supplements the description of the substitutional disorder withinthe coherent potential approximation. We demonstrate the excellent accuracy ofthe method by comparison with calculations performed by means ofthe projector augumented wave method on supercells constructed as specialquasirandom structures. At the same time, the efficiency of thetechnique allows for total energy calculations on a very finemesh of concentrations which enables a reliable calculation of thesecond concentration derivative of the alloy total energy. This isa first step towards first-principles predictions of concentrations and temperatureintervals where the alloy decomposition proceeds via the spinodal mechanism.We thus calculate electronic structure, lattice parameter, and mixing enthalpiesof the quasibinary alloy c-Ti1−xAlxN. The lattice parameter follows Vegard'slaw at low fractions of AlN but deviates increasingly withincreasing Al content. We show that the asymmetry of themixing enthalpy and its second concentration derivative is associated withsubstantial variations of the electronic structure with alloy composition. Thephase diagram is constructed within the mean-field approximation.
|
|