Magnetism of fcc/fcc, hcp/hcp twin and fcc/hcp twin-like boundaries in cobalt

Abstract

The magnetic moments of the fcc/fcc, hcp/hcp twin and fcc/hcp twin-like boundaries in cobalt were investigated by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. The magnetic moments in fcc/fcc were larger than those of the bulk fcc, while the variations in the magnetic moment were complicated in hcp/hcp and fcc/hcp. The magnetovolume effect on the magnetic moment at the twin(-like) boundaries was investigated in terms of the local average atomic distance and the average deviation from equilibrium; however, the complicated variations in the magnetic moment could not be explained from the magnetovolume effect. Next, the narrowing (or broadening) of the partial density of states (PDOS) width of 3d orbitals, the number of occupied states for the spin-down channel, and the PDOS around the Fermi level were investigated. The entire variation in the magnetic moment at the twin(-like) boundaries could be understood in terms of these factors. Charge transfer occurred in hcp/hcp. In this case, the contributions of 4s and 4p electrons to the variation in the magnetic moment were relatively large.