Prediction of half-metallicity in the NaS, NaSe and NaTe alkali-metal chalcogenides using first principles

Abstract

First-principles full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave method based on density functional theory is used to investigate the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of NaS, NaSe and NaTe alkali-metal chalcogenides binary compounds. These compounds in different crystalline phases: NaCl (B1), CsCl (B2), ZB (B3), NiAs (B81), WZ (B4) and Pnma were calculated within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA-PBE) and the modified Becke–Johnson approach (mBJ-GGA-PBE) for the exchange-correlation energy and potential. We found that the most stable phase for the NaX binary compounds is the nonmagnetic Pnma phase. The calculated lattice parameters, bulk moduli, their first-pressure derivatives and internal parameters are in good agreement with the other theoretical data. The electronic band structure and density of states show that half-metallic and magnetic character arises, which can be attributed to the presence of spin-polarized [Formula: see text] orbitals in the group VI elements. The NaS, NaSe and NaTe binary compounds show half-metallic character in ZB and WZ phases, with an integer magnetic moment of 1 [Formula: see text] per formula unit and half-metallic gaps.