Structural, Elastic, Electronic, and Magnetic Properties of a New Full-Heusler Alloy Mn{sub 2}MgGe: First-Principles Calculations
We present the first-principles calculations of the structural, elastic, electronic, and magnetic properties for a new full-Heusler alloy Mn{sub 2}MgGe. Both L2{sub 1} and XA structures are considered for both nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic states. The results show that the XA structure in the ferromagnetic state is the energetically most favorable for the full-Heusler alloy, and exhibits ductile behavior, significant anisotropy, and robust half-metallicity. The total spin moment is 2.000 μ{sub B} per formula unit in equilibrium state, which follows the Slater-Pauling rule. The spin-up electrons are metallic, whereas the spin-down bands are semiconductor with a gap of 1.086 eV at the equilibrium lattice constant of 6.066 Å. Half-metallicity is maintained within the lattice constant range from 5.6 to 6.1 Å. Our results indicate that Mn{sub 2}MgGe is an interesting candidate in the area of spintronics.