The Electronic Structure and Magnetism of Superlattices Consisted of Heuslerand Zinc-blende Structured Half-metals

The electronic structure and magnetism of superlattice systems consisted of Heusler compound (CMS) and zinc-blende MnAs (MA) are investigated by means of the all-electron full potential linearized augmented plane wave method within the generalized gradient approximation. Four superlattice systems are considered, that is CMS(m)/MA(n), where m and n, being either 2 or 4, denote the number of alternatingly arrayed layers of the compounds in a superlattice along [001] direction. From the calculated total magnetic moments as well as the total density of states, it is found that neither of the four systems is half-metallic. It is also found that the Mn atoms are antiferromagnetically coupled in the systems of CMS2/MA2 and CMS2/MA4. The total and atom-resolved density of states of the four superlattices are compared with those of the bulk and MnAs, and the influences of the change in the systems symmetry on the magnetism and half-metallicity are discussed.