Magnetic properties and atomic configurations of the ternary alloys Ru-Mn-Z (Z=Si, Ge and Sn)

The electronic structures of the ternary alloys Ru-Mn-Z (Z=Si, Ge and Sn) were calculated to examine the relationship between the magnetic properties and the atomic configurations. It will be shown that two types of antiferromagnetic phase are stable for three types of configuration of those alloys, where the Mn magnetic moments are aligned ferromagnetically in the (100) (or (111)) plane and antiparallel along the [100] (or [111]) direction. It will also be shown that Ru-Mn-Z (Z=Si and Ge) can be half-metallic in a ferromagnetic phase. (author)