Rare-earth magnetic nitride perovskites

Abstract

We propose perovskite nitrides with magnetic rare-earth metals as novel materials with a range of technological applications. These materials appear to be thermodynamically stable and, in spite of possessing different crystal structures and different atomic environments, they retain the magnetic moment of the corresponding elemental rare-earth metal. We find both magnetic metals and semiconductors, with a wide range of magnetic moments and some systems posses record high magnetic anisotropy energies. Further tuning of the electronic and magnetic properties can also be expected by doping with other rare-earths or by creating solid solutions. The synthesis of these exotic materials with unusual compositions would not only extend the accepted stability domain of perovskites, but also open the way for a series of applications enabled by their rich physics.