Slater-Pauling Rule and Curie-Temperature of Co$_2$-based Heusler compounds

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple rule-based approach to predict magnetic properties of Co2-based Heusler compounds, aiding the search for high spin polarization materials by linking magnetic moments to Curie temperatures.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the Slater-Pauling rule can accurately predict magnetic moments and empirically correlates Curie temperatures with magnetic moments in these compounds.

Findings

Magnetic moments follow the generalized Slater-Pauling rule.

Curie temperature shows a linear dependence on magnetic moment.

Co2FeSi has the highest known magnetic moment and Curie temperature among Heusler compounds.

Abstract

A concept is presented serving to guide in the search for new materials with high spin polarization. It is shown that the magnetic moment of half-metallic ferromagnets can be calculated from the generalized Slater-Pauling rule. Further, it was found empirically that the Curie temperature of Co$_2$ based Heusler compounds can be estimated from a seemingly linear dependence on the magnetic moment. As a successful application of these simple rules, it was found that Co$_2$FeSi is, actually, the half-metallic ferromagnet exhibiting the highest magnetic moment and the highest Curie temperature measured for a Heusler compound.