Spin-Dependent Electronic States of the Ferromagnetic SemimetalEuB6

Xiaohang Zhang,Zachary Fisk,Peng Xiong,Stephan Von Molnár

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.100.167001

Xiaohang Zhang, Zachary Fisk + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.100.167001

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Abstract

The spin polarization of EuB6 has been measured by using Andreev reflection spectroscopy. Analyses of the conductance spectra of the EuB6/Pb junctions yield a spin polarization of about 56%. The results demonstrate that the ferromagnetic EuB6 is not half-metallic. Combined with the Hall effect and magnetoresistivity data, the results indicate a semimetallic band structure with a fully spin-polarized hole band and an unpolarized electron band. The values and the spread of the measured spin polarization are quantitatively consistent with the experimentally determined Fermi surface and carrier densities.

Highlights

The spin polarization of EuB6 has been measured by using Andreev reflection spectroscopy
Combined with the Hall effect and magnetoresistivity data, the results indicate a semimetallic band structure with a fully spin-polarized hole band and an unpolarized electron band
Band structure calculations [3] with local density approximation (LDA) indicate that EuB6 is a semimetal with a small overlap of the conduction band (CB) and the valence band (VB) at the X point

Summary

Introduction

The spin polarization of EuB6 has been measured by using Andreev reflection spectroscopy. Combined with the Hall effect and magnetoresistivity data, the results indicate a semimetallic band structure with a fully spin-polarized hole band and an unpolarized electron band.

Objectives

Results

Conclusion