Unusual Kinetic Properties of Usual Heusler Alloys

Abstract

The review considers various groups of Heusler compounds, which can have the properties of a semiconductor, a half-metallic ferromagnet, a spin gapless semiconductor, a topological semimetal, and a non-collinear antiferromagnet. In these Heusler compounds, “conventional” from the point of view of the crystal structure, unusual kinetic and magnetic properties can be observed, which are caused by the features of their electronic structure (e.g., presence of an energy gap for one spin projection) and magnetic state (e.g., strong ferromagnetism, compensated ferrimagnetism). Their magnetic and kinetic characteristics are very sensitive to external influences. Depending on the alloy composition and external parameters, transitions between the considered states can be realized. All this opens up further prospects for controlling the electronic and magnetic characteristics of such compounds and their practical application.