Bipolar Magnetic Semiconducting Behavior in VNbRuAl: A New Spintronic Material for Spin Filters

TL;DR

This paper predicts and experimentally supports a new class of bipolar magnetic semiconductors, exemplified by VNbRuAl, which exhibit tunable spin transport properties and potential for spintronic applications like spin filters.

Contribution

It introduces VNbRuAl as a novel bipolar magnetic semiconductor with unique electronic and magnetic properties, expanding the material options for spintronic devices.

Findings

VNbRuAl exhibits bipolar magnetic semiconducting behavior.

The alloy shows fully compensated ferrimagnetism with high ordering temperature.

Experimental data confirms semiconducting and magnetic properties.

Abstract

We report the theoretical prediction of a new class of spintronic materials, namely bipolar magnetic semiconductor (BMS), which is also supported by our experimental data. BMS acquires a unique band structure with unequal band gaps for spin up and down channels, and thus are useful for tunable spin transport based applications such as spin filters. The valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) in BMS approach the Fermi level through opposite spin channels, and hence facilitate to achieve reversible spin polarization which are controllable via applied gate voltage. We report the quaternary Heusler alloy VNbRuAl to exactly possess the band structure of BMS. The alloy is found to crystallize in LiMgPdSn prototype structure (space group $F\bar{4}3m$) with B$2$ disorder and lattice parameter 6.15 \AA . The resistivity and Hall measurements show a two channel semiconducting behavior and a quasi linear dependence of negative magneto resistance (MR) indicating the possible semiconducting nature. Interestingly, VNbRuAl also shows a fully compensated ferrimagnetic (FCF) behavior with vanishing net magnetization (m$_s$$\sim$ $10^{-3}$ $\mu_B/f.u.$) and significantly high ordering temperature ($> 900$ K). Unlike conventional FCF, vanishing moment in this case appears to be the result of a combination of long range antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering and the inherent B2 disorder of the crystal. This study opens up the possibility of finding a class of materials for AFM spintronics, with great significance both from fundamental and applied fronts.