Insight into electronic, mechanical and transport properties of quaternary CoVTiAl: Spin-polarized DFT + U approach

Abstract

We present a preliminary investigation of band structure and thermoelectric properties of new quaternary CoVTiAl Heusler alloy. Structural, magnetic property and 100% spin polarization of equiatomic CoVTiAl predicts ferromagnetic stable ground state. Band profile outlines the indirect semiconducting behavior in spin down channel with band gap of 1.06eV, and the magnetic moment of 3 µB in accordance with Slater-Pauling rule. To evaluate the accuracy of different approximations in predicting thermoelectric properties, the comparison with available experimental data is made which shows fair agreement for the transport coefficients. The high temperature (800K) positive Seebeck coefficient of 73.71µV/K describes the p-type character of the material with high efficiency due to highly influential semiconducting behavior around the Fermi level. Considering the combination of 100% spin-polarization, high Seebeck coefficient and large figure of merit, ferromagnetic semiconducting CoVTiAl may prove as a potential candidate for high temperature thermoelectrics and an ideal spin source material for spintronic applications.